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FAITH AND REASON: 

HEART, SOUL, AND HAND WORK. 



A CONCISE ACCOUNT 



OF 



THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION, 



AND OF 



ALL THE PROMINENT RELIGIONS 



BEFORE AND SINCE CHRISTIANITY. 



BY 

HALSEY R. STEYENS. 



By tlieir fruits ye shall know them. — Matthew vii, 20. 



iLNo. (c](olIC- 

NEW YORK: ^Of w*SH»<*^ 

CHARLES P. SOMERBY,'^- - 

139 Eightli Street. 
1879. 






Copyrighted, 

By H. R. Stevens, 

18T9. 



C. P. Somerby, 

Electrotyper and Printer, 

139 Eighth-st., N. Y. 



o 



CONTENTS. 



Premise '^ 

PART I. 

EELIGIONS BEFOKE CHKISTIANITY. 

CHAPTER I. 
Aryan Religions, Myths and Legends 19 

CHAPTER 11. 
Ethnic and Catholic Religions 32 

CHAPTER HI. 
Religion of China — Confucianism: 47 

CHAPTER IV. 
Brahmanism and Hinduism. 58 

CHAPTER Y. 
Buddhism 81 

CHAPTER YI. 
Ancient Religion of Persia and Zoroaster. : 96 



iv Contents. 

CHAPTER VII. 
Religion and Sacred Books of Egypt 113 

CHAPTER ym. 

The Gods and Religion of Greece 132 

CHAPTER IX. 
The Gods and Religion of Rome 148 

CHAPTER X. 
Teutonic and Scandinavian Religion 160 

CHAPTER XL 
The Jewish Religion 172 

PART II. 
CHRISTIANITY. 

CHAPTER I. 
History and Geography of Palestine 193 

CHAPTER 11. 
Introductory to Christianity 214 

CHAPTER III. 
Chronology, Birth of Jesus, and Our Era 227 

CHAPTER ly. 
The New Testament 235 

CHAPTER V. 
Evangelical and Apostolical Authority 249 

CHAPTER yi. 
Correctness of Gospel History 291 



Contents. v 

CHAPTER yil. 
INSTRUCTION, Direction, and Admonition , 327 

PART III. 
EELIGIOKS SINCE CHEISTIANITT. 

CHAPTER I. 
Mohammedanism, or Islam 379 

CHAPTER II. 
Hegelianism and Other Systems 397 

CHAPTER III. 
The Book of Nature. . . , 410 

CHAPTER lY. 
Prayer 417 

Index 425 



FAITH AND REASON. 



HEART, SOUL, AND HAND WORK. 



PREMISE. 

The following work is intended to be a fair, can- 
did and charitable consideration of the subjects of 
which we speak, without pretending to high attain- 
ments or superior wisdom, or omitting to pay proper 
respect to what others have said and believed. We 
repeat here what we said in a previous volume : that 
the timidity of many men has kept back much of 
importance to the world, not thinking that the little 
light they could shed would be of any particular value. 
This is not only neglect of duty : it is a sin. Frankly, 
honestly and liberally to speak out is the only true 
way. Under all circumstances, at all times, we should 
realize that we are in the presence of God our Father, 



8 Premise. 

who knows all we do, and our motives in the doing. 
God also controls all events^ substantially governs 
the world and all things in it, and none can stay his 
hand. This world is a place for sober thought, for 
serious and solemn things; and by that we do not 
mean we are without satisfaction, joy and comfort. 
God gives us all things richly to enjoy. 

Our desire .is not only to engage the attention of 
men, but to feel the approbation of God. To please 
all is what we do not expect. Every man does not 
see the same thing in the same light; hence there 
are honest differences of opinion. We have high and 
low churchmen, both parties intending to be honest 
and godly. The former class are pretty likely to con- 
demn much that we say, and think it irreverent, cal- 
culated to do harm and open the way for a low estimate 
of religion. Our lack of belief in Jesus as an atoning 
sacrifice — which belief many consider most precious — 
connected with the theory that Adam sinned for him- 
self and all his posterity, making a vicarious atonement 
all-important, and many other things we say, will 

draw down upon our head a very large amount of indig- 
nation. Our faith is dualistic. Two opposing forces 

have been plainly observable in man's nature from 

the first ; one inclining to good, the otlier to evil. We 

are happy in the thought that we have one spiritual 

father, God, whom we intend to honor and obey. So 

we are all begotten of God, heirs to an inheritance 



Premise. 9 

that is eternal. Considering this, we ought to be 
obedient children, thus showing that we realize our 
sonship. If we look to God as our loving Father, we 
naturally incline to love him. His laws we are not 
to learn solely from a printed book, as they are inef- 
faceably written on our hearts and consciences, so that 
they cannot be blotted out. All human acts are open 
before Grod's all-seeing eye, however well we may 
succeed in hiding them from finite observation. The 
way of the transgressor is hard, in the nature of things ; 
a just recompense of reward is in every case meted 
out. Hence, nothing can possibly be gained by wrong- 
doing, while much is lost. 

In the teachings of our Great Master, Jesus, are 
many things of importance; but no creeds, no secta- 
rianism, no dogmatism. All is so plain that there is 
no occasion for the least mistake. The traveler along 
the pathway of life can read as he goes, and, honestly 
considering, be in no danger of making mistakes. 
There is, therefore, no real occasion for sin, no excuse. 
With the shortest possible teaching we can understand. 
Jesus said the summing up of man's whole duty was 
to "deal justly, love mercy, and walk humbly before 
God." To love God is to love truth, to love right- 
eousness, to love all the creatures God has made, all 
the works of his hand. 

We believe in glorified spirits, in holy angels, in a 
spiritual life after this mortal life, and that those who 



10 Premise. 

are designedly, obstinately and carelessly wicked and 
bad, are continually suffering here, and cannot be happy 
at death ; but, at the same time, we cannot think it 
possible that God will punish and confine any of his 
creatures in endless hell. He is all -wise, as well as 
all-powerful and good ; such a thing as eternal damna- 
tion would in no sense benefit any one. But there is 
no excuse for the willful wrong-doer, who sins against 
light and knowledge, who treasures up wrath against 
the day of wrath and the righteous indignation of 
Heaven, while God is all the time caring for us as a 
father careth for his son. 

Our theological views are of the broadest kind, 
embracing universal nature, all creatures, all worlds, 
all immensity; all that we can conceive of or know; 
all that is unseen, unknowable or unthinkable. All 
started from the same source, call it what we will ; all 
is governed by the same laws, which we know exist, 
though we cannot comprehend how they came. About 
this first beginning of all beginnings we have made 
some mention in a former volume, and may refer to it 
again in another chapter. 

In regard to special providences, we do not think 
they are gotten up for every trifiing case, or at the 
solicitation of every man who changes his desires and 
wishes as the wind happens to blow. If it were so, 
universal harmony would be disturbed. Through con- 
trolling minor events, the sun would be made to rise 



Premise, 11 

earlier or later, to suit the convenience of some whim- 
sical mortal ; winter delayed, or summer hastened. Bet- 
ter it is by far to submit resignedly to the order of 
events. 

With a belief in the mediatorial power and influ- 
ence of Jesus, we have also faith in ministering spirits; 
and to that extent, if no more, we are Spiritualists. 
Many who claim to be Spiritualists are grossly mis- 
represented by ignorance or design. Spirit-rapping and 
table-turning may be a very different thing from the 
science of Spiritualism, when rightly considered. Many 
parts of the New Testament cannot be logically ex- 
plained without the theory assumed in this doctrine. 

We read in the New Testament, as plainly as 
words can express it, that our bodies are of the earth, 
earthy ; that our earthly house must bo dissolved and 
go back to mingle again with other common earth, 
but, from an inner growth that is not describable to 
our jfinite understanding, there comes a spiritual body, 
adapted to spirit life, that can exist without the old 
clay body, above and beyond which it is to soar and 
live for a term of time we have no language to de- 
scribe. This we call resurrection, or the second birth. 
-However much we may talk about this new birth, 
here it is not possible. While we are subject to moral 
infirmity and death, how can it be ? Much curious 
and interesting speculation has been started about the 
duties, business and enjoyment of a soul when freed 



12 Premise. 

from the stage of mortality, though but little, if any- 
thing, is really known. Nor can we know aught of 
the powers a spiritual body may possess. Some believe 
that in heaven our chief business will be psalm-singing 
of praises to God for salvation and redemption ; others, 
that our time will be occupied in visiting friends with 
whom we are to be finally united there, with an 
occasional coming back to earth to see how it fares 
with those left behind. That we shall meet our friends 
in another world, is among the natural thouglits. 
There is much upon which to build the theory that in 
the next state we shall recognize and be recognized 
by our relatives, friends and* acquaintances, and that 
the meetings we may have there will be enjoyable 
beyond all description. We may lay up a stock of 
comfort in that way, which we may enjoy with all 
the rest; but any conjecture we can possibly have of 
such a condition of things is at most but vague and 
uncertain. Human thought cannot conceive of such a 
condition, human imagination cannot reach it, human 
sight cannot penetrate the thick mist that hangs be- 
tween it and us. Nor can we have any more correct 
notion of the place denominated Paradise : where it 
is; the terms of admission; whether we shall, when 
there, be dormant or active; whether we shall all be 
happy there, or only part of us. 

We read some, and probably imagine more, about 
a general judgment (an old idea derived from the 



Premise. 13 

moBt ancient times), which, like many other m«itters, 
we know nothing about. John the Eevelator (vii, 9) 
tells us about the gathering of an immense throng, 
that no man could number, of all nations, kindred, 
people and tongues, clothed in white robes, and 
palms in their hands. From this and other passages 
we gather the comforting belief that all the human 
family will eventually come to a better ctate. It may 
be that all will not be equal there ; they are not so 
here, in the full sense of that term : some minds are 
capable of far greater expansion than others ; gifts 
differ here, and, we have no doubt, will differ in the 
next life ; but we have no idea that God will take 
pleasure in the infliction of endless hell torments on 
any of us because we did or neglected to do certain 
things under certain circumstances that surrounded us. 
To suppose that God cherishes a wrathful feeling toward 
mortals who commit sin, would be to suppose him a God 
of arrogance instead of a God of kindness, long-suffering 
and mercy. We do not admit there is such a thing as 
divine wrath. God is not wTath — he is love and kind- 
ness. Attributes ascribed to God should be reason- 
able. So when the Israelites believed God was angry 
with them, they judged him by the natural feelings of 
humanity. In our great anxiety to know what cannot 
be known in this life, we. overlook much that we might 
and ought to understand ; much in the way of duty 
to God and man and our own souls. Instead of trying 



14 Premise. 

to talk the best and to make the loudest professions, 
why not set up a rivalry in good works, in noble 
actions, in charity for our erring friends, in care for 
the destitute and downtrodden ? Religion is no vain 
show, no outside putting on, or outward cleaning of 
the cup and platter; it is the inner man that gets 
defiled and wants washing. 

Evil exists only by God's permission ; and that it 
has existed from all eternity is so self-evident that no 
argument is necessary. How and why it came into ex- 
istence, and by what agency, is among the hidden mys- 
teries. God governs the world and all things in or 
about it; and governing means something. It is. the 
power to will, to accomplish, to place, and to carry 
out ; the power to say this shall and that shall not be. 
The old notion that there was no sin in the world until 
Adam's time ought to have been laid aside long ago ; 
at any rate, it should be now. The question may w^ell 
arise whether it is possible for truth to exist without 
error, or virtue without vice. Everything takes its 
character by comparison. All that is good must be 
compared with something that is bad — with its opposite. 
In law, no one can be found guilty of counterfeiting 
when there is nothing to counterfeit. Good and evil, 
in comparison with each other, never had a beginning 
within the range of our comprehension, and, to our 
present conception, can have no end. This conclusion 
gives no license to the wrong-doer, who is in duty 



Premise, 15 

bound to act up to the full extent of his knowledge 
in pursuing the right and avoiding the wrong. But, 
it must be remembered, wliere there is no light there 
is no sin. A wrong act may be done ignorantly, con- 
stituting no sin, which, if done by another knowingly, 
would be a most glaring sin. All are accountable for 
what they know, and for their ignorance of duty if 
the proper means to gain information be neglected. 
A lazy soul is always condemned. Placed in the world 
for action, wasting time is not excusable. 

Without going into particulars in regard to the 
New Testament, we will say that it is the best book 
the -world has ever seen or is ever likely to see, and 
yet we do not consider it a perfect book. A portion 
of it is the work of men whom we consider good, 
honest and true men ; and, in a certain sense, they, 
with all other good men, were inspired in regard to 
many utterances, but not all. 

To infuse into a finite being infinite perfection 
would be but little short of constituting him a God. 
The power of God is his alone, and cannot be possessed 
by another while clothed with flesh and blood, if indeed 
it can be or has been given to another. Jesus, while 
on the earth, never was by any of his intelligent followers 
or himself spoken of as equal to the everlasting Father. 
To say that Jesus was the Son, and the Father also, is 
too absurd for acceptance by even the weakest minds. 
So, too, if Jesus was begotten of the Father about two 



16 Premise. 

thousand years ago, he was not with God when the 
worlds were made, or when matter began to aggre- 
gate. He either existed before he was begotten, or 
(jlse he was not at what is called the world's founda- 
tion-laying. The New Testament writers, in their 
eagerness to tell all they knew, at least, would natur- 
ally be led to go a little beyond ; and then, in believing, 
the apostles and early Christians were in a constant 
worry lest they should believe too little. One new 
convert to Christianity declared he did believe, but, 
in the same breath, fearing there might be some mis- 
take, asked that his unbelief might be '' helped." 

To question the birth of Jesus somewhere about 
the beginning of our era seems to us unwarranted ; 
but when asked to say that he was begotten of God^ 
any more than thousands of other children, would, 
in our opinion, be straining the truth. Jesus said 
truly that God was his Father, and it is clearly stated 
that the Eternal Jehovah is the God and Father of all 
our spirits, or '' the God and Father of us all." 

The following work will be treated under three 
heads, which seem naturally to present themselves. 
First, comprehending the most prominent and the most 
extensively embraced religions before the promulgation 
of Christianity ; second, Christianity ; and lastly, Mo- 
hammedanism, the Hegelian Philosophy, the Book oi 
Nature, and Prayer. 

To show our appreciation of some particular por- 



Premise. 17 

tions of the New Testament, we have quoted some 
parts exactly as they are. The reader will not find them 
wearisome. There is too much value in it all, and all 
the truths are too self-evident, to be uninteresting to 
any but the indifferent. Considered as a whole, we 
think the conclusion naturally arrived at will be 
that goodness, purity and truth existed in the world 
before Christianity, and that God was manifesting him- 
self and has been at least dimly seen by man ever since 
he existed on the earth. Plainly enough, also, we dis- 
cover that Christianity is superior to all other religions 
before or since its development, and that, with all the 
defects that have been incorporated into its history^ by 
its ardent and enthusiastic followers, we accept it with 
joy and gladness, and embrace the faith in all its im- 
portant parts. . 



PART I. 

RELIGIONS BEFORE CHRISTIANITY. 

CHAPTEE I. 

ARYAN RELIGI0:N^S, MYTHS AND LEGENDS. 

" The Childhood of Religion ■ ' has received particu- 
lar attention in a highly interesting work, written by 
Edward Clodd. He says (page 53), it is believed 
that the birthplace of man was in some part of the 
earth where the climate was mild, but exactly where it 
was we may never know : recent information points to 
a land now submerged beneath the Indian Ocean. His 
theory is that the early inhabitants became scattered, 
from a desire to see more of the world, or on account 
of increasing numbers and lack of food. In their wan- 
derings, the way to Europe was discovered, while they 
were yet in a savage state, and subsisted by hunting 
and fishing ; for man first of all became a hunter, 
then he conceived the idea of taming the wild animals, 



. 20 Religions Before Christianity. 

and adopted the life of a shepherd. From that he 
became a tiller of the soil, a farmer with a family, 
and discarded his nomadic habits. Then the family 
grew into a tribe ; then succeeded the nation. 

The people of whom we are about to speak were 
not the first civilizers, but were young as compared 
with those of China or Egypt. In chapter vi, Mr. 
Clodd says, the Aryan tribes, thousands of years ago, 
were scattered over the wide plains east of the Cas- 
pian sea, and northwest of Hindustan, in Central Asia, 
but united together by the same manners and customs, 
though speaking somewhat difierent dialects of a com- 
mon tongue — in reality, the ofispring of one mother 
nation. These tribes consisted of two great branches, 
from one of which came the races that have peopled 
nearly the whole of Europe : that is to say, the Celts 
(whom Julius Caesar found in Britain when he invaded 
it), the Germans and Slavonians, the Greeks and Ro- 
mans ; while from the other branch the Medes, Per- 
sians and Hindus, with some lesser peoples in Asia, 
have sprung. A learned German has called this the 
discovery of a new world. And it is certainly a great 
revelation that the Hindu and the Icelander, the Rus- 
sian and the Italian, the Englishman and the French- 
man, are children whose forefathers lived in one 
home. 

Arya is a Sanskrit word, meaning noble ^ of a 
good family. It is believed to have come from the 



Aryan Religions^ Myths and Legends, 21 

root ar^ fo plow, which is found in era^ the Greek 
word for earth; earth meaning that which is eared or 
plowed. Aryan was the name given to the tillers of 
the soil and to householders, and the title bj which 
the once famous Medes and Persians were proud to 
call themselves. It became the general name for the 
race who obtained possession of the land, and survives 
in Iran^ the modern native name of Persia, and in 
other names of places ; even, as some think, in Ireland, 
which is called Erin by the natives. The name Indo- 
European is sometimes used instead of Aryan^ and is 
a better ^ame, because it conveys a clearer idea of the 
races included therein. 

We will inquire more fully into the old life of 
this interesting people, about their legends of the past, 
and their arts and customs. In the Zend-Avesta, or 
sacred book of the Persian religion, only fragments of 
which have been preserved, there are some statements 
about the country peopled by the Aryans which seem 
to hold a little truth : 

Sixteen countries are spoken of as having been 
given to Ormuzd for the Aryans to dwell in, each of 
which became tainted with evil. The first was named 
Airyanem-Yaego, and it was created a land of delight; 
but, to quote the ancient legend, the evil being Ah- 
rieman, full of death, made a mighty serpent and win- 
ter, the work of Devas' (or bad spirits). In this Persian 
legend we have one of the many traditions which have 



22 Heligions Before Christianity. 

come down from the past concerning disaster and ruin 
befalling fair lands where men once dwelt in peace. 
Concerning the Deluge, there are two Chaldaean ac- 
counts, one of which belongs to a series of legends 
on tablets found among the ruins of Nineveh, and 
resembles that now given. It is said the god Ihc 
warned Xisuthrus of a flood by which mankind would 
be destroyed, and commanded him to write a history 
of all things and to bury it in the City of the Sun. 
He was then to build a ship, and take refuge in it with 
his relatives and friends, every kind of beast and bird, 
and food for them. This he did, and, when the flood 
came, sailed as he was bidden "to the gods." Birds 
were sent out three times, to ascertain whether the 
waters were abated'. Looking out from a window, 
he found the ship had stranded upon the side of a 
mountain, and he at once left it with his wife and 
daughter. After worshiping the earth and offering 
sacrifice to the gods, he was translated, and, as he arose, 
told the friends he left behind to return to Babylon 
and dig up the books he had buried. This they did, 
and taught from these books the true religion to the 
Chaldseans. The Babylonians and Jews were members 
of the same race, hence the likeness in their tradi- 
tions. The Chaldsean records speak of the building of 
the Tower of Babel, the legend of which has just been 
found on another tablet from Nineveh, and the tower 
was said to have been overthrown by the wind, and 



Aryan Religions^ Myths and Legends. 23 

man's language confused by the gods. The Chaldsean 
history speaks of ten kings whose reigns added together 
amounted to four hundred and thirty- two thousand 
years. The likeness between the Hebrew Bible tradi- 
tion and this is very striking, showing them to be 
children of one parent. The Aryans, says Mr. Clodd, 
have left behind them no ruins of temples or tombs, 
no history stamped on pieces of baked clay, or cut on 
rocks; historic traces of them are derived from lan- 
guage alone. The Aryans were an inland race, and 
knew little or nothing of the wade waters that laved 
the distant coasts. Their skiffs were small, only suited 
to river use. The Aryan and Semitic languages repre- 
sent language in its third and highest stage. First, 
the Supreme is like -God; second, God -like; third, 
God-ly. 

It is one of the few facts of history that, before 
the Hindus crossed the mountains that lay between 
Bactria and India, before the Celts and other tribes 
left the west, their common ancestors spoke the same 
language — a language so firmly settled that Sanskrit, 
Persian, Greek, Latin, German, Slavonic and Celtic 
words are simple alterations of its words, and not ad- 
ditions to it. 

The Aryan got beyond the lower beliefs of his 
ancestors in his idea of the gods, though he had not 
reached the height to which man can climb. At first 
man explained the movements of Nature by his own. 



24 Religions Before Christianity, 

He knew that he moved because he lived, and willed 
to do whatever he did, and that the dead moved not. 
The Aryan spoke of the earth as Mother^ and invoked 
her blessing ; and yet she appeared to depend, like 
himself, upon some greater powers, who could shroud 
her in darkness or withhold the rain. So he looked up 
to the broad heaven that arched in the earth at every 
point, and from whence came each morning the light 
that cheered his life and removed the fear which 
filled his heart. There, in the heavens, he naturally 
thought, lived and moved in strength and majesty the 
great Lord of all, whom he named Dyaus, from the 
root div^ or dyxi^ which means to shine. This was the 
most ancient of the names by which the Aryans spoke 
of him who seemed the god of gods, as we now 
speak of one God in whom we believe. This idea was 
borne away by all the tribes wherever they went. The 
name " heaven " above was a never-fading record all 
could read. Dyaus is the same as Zeus in Greek, 
Jovis and Deus in Latin, and Tiu in German. From 
Dens comes our word Deity^ which, therefore, means 
the God who is light. In their hymns in the Rig- 
Veda, or chief sacred book of the Brahmans, the gods 
are called diva^ meaning bright, Dyaus, the god of 
the bright sky, and chief deity among the Aryans, 
was only one of the names by which they invoked 
the moving powers of Nature. Hence, Jupiter (in 
the Yeda, Dyaus-pitar; in the Greek, Zeu-jpater) means 



Aryan Religions^ Myths and Legends. 25 

Heaven-Father. These two words form the basis of all 
prayer, and constituted the oldest prayer man ever 
offered up — uttered to the unknown God before Sans- 
krit or Greek was known. Thousands of years have 
passed since the Aryans separated to travel to the 
north and the south, the west and the east. Each 
branch have formed their languages, founded empires 
and philosophies, built temples and razed them to the 
ground ; but now, with all the wisdom they have 
learned, there is no name so exalted, so dear to each 
and all of us, so expressive of awe and love, the in- 
finite and the finite, as the selfsame words uttered in 
the primeval Aryan prayer — Heaven - Father — in that 
form which will endure forever, " Our Father which 
art in heaven." 

Sacrifice is the oldest of all rites^ for man's first 
feeling toward the gods was that of fear. They ruled 
over all things ; life and death were in their hands ; 
hence the effort to win their favor. When he saw 
blessings were greater in number than ills, fear gave 
place to love, and thank-offerings w^ere made. Real- 
izing that the gods were stronger, their forgiveness 
was desired for bad deeds done and for good deeds 
left undone, which led to sin-offerings. Thus we see 
that the first conception of a God (or, as the Eastern 
terms were, the gods) did not at the start come from a 
written book, nor from a legend : he showed himself 



26 Religions Before Christianity. 

in the heavens, in his laws controlling matter, by his 
spirit in the heart of man. 

The places where these sacrificial altars stood w^ere 
revered, and temples raised on the same spots. A class 
of men claiming to be in favor with the gods presided 
and directed at all public gatherings. Hence originated 
religious rites, and the order of priests, who pretended 
to know more about unseen things than the common 
people ; which class, the priests said, need have no con- 
cern about religious matters except to do the latter's 
bidding ; therefore many ceased to think for themselves, 
and laid aside this great privilege that, more than any- 
thing else, made them men. How well, by the aid of 
that priestly order, this arrangement has been main- 
tained, we all know too w^ell. We are too much in the 
way of forgetting that the voices of God are around 
us, speaking in thunder tones, if we would but listen. 
His secrets, if secrets he have, are with no particular 
class of men, but with those who fear him, with those 
who are true to what they feel to be highest and 
best. 

The belief that certain buildings are sacred is com- 
mon to us now. So we speak in our time about God's 
bouse, God's temple, God's holy hill, just as they did. 
Many think a great work has been done when they 
have erected a house for God^s worship on some hill, 
and consecrated the former to his use, if not the latter ; 
and, more important than all, obtained one of God's 



Aryan Religions^ Myths and Legends. 27 

accredited agents to tell all who will listen how to con- 
duct themselves to secure an entrance into heaven. 
Mr. Clodd says : The belief that certain buildings 
are more sacred than others, and one kind of work 
holier than another, has caused people to think that God 
is more with the priest than with the peasant, more in 
a church than in a house or shop. The Psalmist knew 
better than that, for he asked, " Whither shall I go 
from thy spirit ? or whither shall I flee from thy 
presence ?" And so did Jesus, when he told the people 
that to the pure in heart there was some showing of 
God's blessed face, and that not on mountain or in 
city only, but everywhere, he could be worshiped. 
The whole earth is a temple, and every hill on it is 
God's hill, where all honest work is service. 

Nor is the position in which our bodies may be fixed 
to worship God important. Whether kneeling, sitting, 
standing or reclining, if in our hearts we look up to God 
and long for mercy and forgiveness, a gracious answer 
of peace will be given ; our souls will be refreshed. Sac- 
rifice was an important part of the Aryan religion. 
One of the chief offerings to the gods was the fer- 
mented juice of the soma or moon-plant, a strong and 
exciting drink. It was thought to aid in the working 
of miracles, and in time became one of the chief gods 
among the Hindus. 

The Yeda contains hymns and prayers used at these 
sacrifices, and Yach^ or the goddess of speech, who 



28 Heligions Before Christianity, 

taught the people to worship in spirit as well as in 
form, is praised in words much like those about Wis- 
dom in the eighth chapter of Proverbs. We shall all 
along see that in the Aryan and other religions of the 
early nations much was common to them all, and that 
a portion at least of what is now the Christian religion 
was derived from them, so that in the starting of Chris- 
tianity it was far from being all new, though a great 
improvement on anything before it. 

Myths have been, to a greater or less extent, incor- 
porated into nearly every form of religion. We may 
Bay that what is called mythology is found among every 
people, and comes from the Greek muihoSy a fable, and 
logoSj a word. Under this name may be classed all 
legends, traditions and fairy tales. Myths and folk-lore 
containing stories of the loves and quarrels of gods and 
goddesses, the feasts they ate and the foes they slew, 
heroes fighting with monsters for the rescue of maidens 
from dark dungeons and enchanted castles, lovesick 
princes, cunning dwarfs that killed stupid giants, elves, 
satyrs, fauns and pigmies, and a whole catalogue of 
others we will not name. 

There are also legends that people the air with 
spirits of the dead, such as vampires, witches, and the 
like ; that tell of men changed to bears, maidens to 
swans ; of magic horns and lamps ; of flasks that fill the 
ocean ; of hidden stores of gold and gems. Just as the 
Aryan language shows itself in the language of the 



Aryan Religions^ Myths and Legends. 29 

English, EusBians, Hindus, and other Aryan nations, so 
do these myths, legends and fairy tales. , Mr. Clodd 
remarks (^' Childhood of Religion,'' page 99) that in 
consequence of the discovery of a strong likeness in all 
nursery tales, some light is thrown on the common ori- 
gin of all nations. Sure it is that grandams in North- 
ern Europe did not learn their tales from Hindu books 
or story-tellers : we must therefore suppose that the 
Aryan tribes carried from their one Aryan home a com- 
mon stock of stories as well as a common speech and 
common name for Heaven-Father. 

This legendary and mythical chapter will be brought 
to a close with a few more strange stories. It is said 
of Kronos (which is a Greek name only), who was a son 
of Ouranos, with w^hom the race of gods began, that he 
swallowed his first five children soon after the birth of 
each. Kronos means time; and Ouranos, the heaven. 
Oicranos is the same as the sky-god Yaruna^ invoked in 
the Veda, whose name comes from the root var^ to veil. 
Tantalus was said to be king of Lydia, and when Zeus 
and all the gods came and sat down to a feast which 
he gave, killed his own son and set the roasted flesh 
before them, for which act the assembled gods sent 
Tantalus to Tartarus, where all are banished who sin 
against the gods. Among the names given to the sun 
in the Veda, he is called the golden-handed. A story 
grew up that at a sacrifice he cut off" his hand, which 
was replaced by the priests with one of gold. 



30 Religions Before Christianity, 

In looking at the Greek, Norse, German and other 
myths by the light of the Yeda, we find the full, fresh 
thoughts of the mind of man when there were no bounds 
to his beliefs and fancies. These ravths havino; forced 
their way into history, came in time to pass as veritable 
facts. The story of William Tell, that has for many 
centuries passed for true history, Mr. Clodd says is 
merely an old Aryan myth, and nothing more. In 
every country it is not exactly in the same words and 
the same relation, but evidently sprang from the same 
stock in each ease. Cinderella, about whom so much 
has been written, is spoken of in the Yeda, and is 
merely a myth. There is seemingly no end to these 
old myths and fables. In the Jataka, an ancient collec- 
tion of Buddhist fables, Buddha is said to have had 
five hundred and fifty births before he attained Buddha- 
hood. 

Those who want more of such stories as these can 
avail themselves of ^sop's Fables and other works of 
the kind. Great caution is- necessary to avoid estimat- 
ing fiction as the truth of history, and, worse than that, 
as classing it with the revelations of* God to man. An 
excessive leaning that way has done great harm, and 
minds are drawn away from substantial facts, personal 
experience and actual knowledge, into figurative realms, 
from the real to the fanciful. Instead of examining into 
the works of Nature — the evidence of God's power — 
they wander into mysticism. Imagination is given a 



Aryan Religions^ Myths and Legends, 31 

loose rein, to float at will in the region of fancy. The 
moment anything, however absurd and foolish, gets 
mixed with the religious faith of a people, then, in 
their estimation, it becomes the Word of God, not to 

be controverted by evidence, be it ever so strong. 



CHAPTER II. 

ETHNIC AND CATHOLIC RELIGIONS. 

"We are indebted to the able and learned writer 
James Freeman Clarke for a work entitled " Ten Great 
Religions," in which are contained many highly impor- 
tant and interesting religious, historical and geograph- 
ical facts, set in order with great care and labor, from 
which we make liberal extracts of matter suited to 
our purpose. 

Without an analytical consideration of the various 
religions that have obtained favor from large portions 
of mankind, we can form no correct estimate of the 
comparative value of them. Christianity has nothing 
to lose by such an examination. The good and the 
true will always bear close scrutiny without detri- 
ment. 

What we call Ethnic, Gentile or Heatlien religions 
will, on candid examination, all be found to contain 
much good. They had only a dim light, it is true, 



Ethnic and Catholic Religions. 33 

but at no time in the world's history was there total 
darkness with respect to religion. In going back to 
the very early times, proper allowance must be made 
for the state of things then existing ; otherwise, great 
injustice will be done and a false estimate made. ' 

Corruptions found their way into all the old relig- 
ions, and care must be taken that corruptions do not 
creep into the Cliristian religion also, and that its 
beautiful simplicity and harmony be not destroyed or 
laid aside, for formalism. Supernatural religion and 
mystery were in the world many thousand years be- 
fore Adam's time, and in a lively condition up to the 
full dawn of Christianitv, if indeed it can be said that 
Christianity is free from it. We may take them to 
be natural to a certain degree of development of the 
human mind. 

Spirituality now is not easily kept alive. In the 
earlier religions it was but faintly discernible ; thougli 
hearts were then drawn upward in adoration of a 
power not fully seen or comprehended. But few are 
so arrogant now as to say they comprehend Omnipo- 
tence. In the old religions they did not pretend to 
know God. Then, as now, they were feeling after 
him. 

How many think the best service they can render 
true religion is to keep up a constant clamor about 
everything that is not Christian, and stigmatize the 
wisest and best of me^i as cold philosophers. Mosheim 



34 Heligions Before Christianity. 

says : " Before Christianity, all the nations of the 
world, the Jews excepted, w^ere plunged in the gross- 
est superstition. Some nations went beyond the others, 
but all stood charged with irrationality and gross stu- 
pidity in matters of religion. The greater part of the 
gods of all nations were ancient heroes, famous for 
their achievements and their w^orthy deeds — kings, gen- 
erals, and founders of cities ; to these some added the 
more splendid and useful objects in the natural world, 
as the sun, moon and stars ; some were not ashamed 
to pay divine honors to mountains, rivers and trees. 
The worship of these deities consisted in ceremonies, 
sacrifices and prayers, for the most part absurd and 
ridiculous, and, throughout, debasing, obscene and 
cruel. The prayers were truly insipid and devoid of 
piety, both in their form and matter. The priests 
who presided over this worship basely abused their 
authority to impose on the people. The whole pagan 
system had not the least efficacy to preserve and cher- 
ish virtuous emotions in the soul, because the gods 
and goddesses were patterns of vice, the priests bad 
men, and the doctrines false." This view of the 
heathen religion is quite exaggerated. If the priests 
among the idolatrous nations were bad, so they were 
among the Jews, if we can credit the great prophets 
before, during, and after the Captivity. So, also, were 
many who pretended to exercise prophetic powers de- 



Ethnic and Catholic Religions. 35 

nounced by those of their own class as bad men, liars, 
and wicked in many respects. 

It is not only easy, but very natural, to think all 
are out of the way but ourselves ; that all creeds are 
wrong but ours; thai: our own nation, country, institu- 
tions, government. and laws are vastly superior to all 
others ; that all the Divine wisdom shed abroad in the 
world, . everything that tends to promote morality, 
goodness and piety, is included in the only really 
catholic religion, the Christian. Such a position is 
not tenable. God, in his kindness, love and mercy, 
did not leave the world in utter darkness for many 
thousands of years before the birth of Jesus, or before 
Abraham left his native country — which many learned 
writers say was near to the place of Zoroaster's birth. 
Puffing up and inflating one thing, so as to belittle 
and disparage all else, is not necessary. 

The crude religions of antiquity have been giving 
way before the light of Christianity, and yielding to 
the constant force of progression and evolution. But 
they are not devoid of interest. The voice of prayer 
then was directed toward God, if it did not reach 
him. Had there been nothing but unmixed evil in 
idolatry, could it have been maintained so long ? It 
partially satisfied the natural longing of the human 
heart, Man is not the eaoy and universal dupe of 
fraud; though it is more than the best of us can do 
to distinguish truth from error; hence, the designing 



36 Heligions Before Christianity. 

are ever ready to impose upon our credulity. In all 
ages men have suflfered by fri5iud and deception. Nor 
are we rid of them now. Christian catholicity has 
not yet had the power to abolish them among the 
most faithful adherents of Christianity. A decent re- 
spect for the wild opinions, and charity for the erring 
portion, of mankind, forbid us to ascribe the pagan 
religions entirely to priestcraft or jugglery. Reverence 
for Divine Providence would not admit of it. 

Is it reasonable to suppose that God was without 
a witness in the world before Abraham, before Jesus ? 
Away with the narrow thoughts that exclude God 
from communication with man at any and all times 
since man's existence ! Has not God's ffivor been con- 
tinually manifested, as far back as our thoughts can 
range ? Had he no care over us, no compassion for 
us, before the dawn of Christianity ? Must we con- 
tinue to think our God - Father neglected everything 
until he could contrive some plan of salvation by which 
the damning sin of Adam would be wiped out ? No 
one ever believed in or heard of a spiritual deliverer 
other than God our Father till about the time of 
Jesus' death. How must it fare with those who died 
with no faith in an atonement except by the blood ol 
beasts ? Some of our modern religionists represent 
God as electing to pour abundant light on a portion 
of those he created, and leaving all the rest in dark- 
ness ; not only to perish and die in their errors without 



Ethnic and Catholic Religions. 37 

seeing the light, but to be tormented in indescribable 
agony unendingly. Many were born ignorant and 
lived so by no fault of theirs. Who can infuse into 
stupid beings the lire of intellect ? God has appointed 
the times and fixed the bounds of every habitation. 
Those who were born in India where they could only 
hear of him through Braliminism, or in China through 
Buddha or Confucius, did not select their birthplaces : 
God put them there, knowing that light could get to 
them through only one channel, and that through him. 
Must they be tormented in hell for being in a region 
of error, where God put them ? They were feeling 
after God, seeking him with all their power, if haply 
they might find him ; trying to see him partially, if 
they could not fully. 

Pagan religions are only the efforts of man to 
find God. Every insect, every animal, is provided 
with food, is cared for by the God -Father. Can it 
be, then, that he has left his human children without 
the nutriment of truth ? Such a view tends to athe- 
ism. In fact, if atheism has a hold anywhere among 
men, it is engendered by false notions of God and his 
orderings. Everywhere we see progress, higher forms 
of life succeeding lower. Heathen religions are step- 
ping-stones to Christianity. The latter did not start 
up and grow from nothing, any more than a tree can 
grow without materials to grow from ; " first the blade, 
then the ear, afterward the full corn in the ear." Thus 



38 Meligions Before Christianity. 

we can understand why the coming of Christ took 
place as it did, instead of sooner or later ; we can see 
why all religions have more of the true in them than 
the false; why they do more good than harm; instead 
of degenerating into something worse, they come to 
prepare the way for tlie better. It was the will of 
God that Christianity should grow out of Judaism, 
and in the fitness of time develop into a universal 
religion. That is not yet accomplished, but it will be. 
Jesus virtually taught that many good men were 
found among those called heathen, though tliey never 
heard of him. The word " heathen," occurring in the 
New Testament one hundred and sixty-four times, is 
in ninety-three cases translated '^ gentiles," four or five 
times *' heathen," and in most other cases " nations." 
Jesus plainly recognizes among the ethnic or heathen 
people some as belonging to himself, while he speaks 
of others shut out of the Jewish- fold. Paul, who was 
the especial apostle to the Gentiles, did not regard 
their religion as wholly false and valueless, for he de- 
clared the God they ignorantly worshiped was the true 
God ; while, on his missionary travels in Greece, at the 
same time, he saw the city filled with idols. Paul 
said, " I see that ye are, in all ways, exceedingly pious," 
thus recognizing them as going beyond the idols to 
the true God. In his subsequent remarks he does not 
teach them that there is but one Supreme Being, 
which he assumes as something already believed; and 



Ethnic and Catholic Iteligions, 39 

whom he designates as omnipotent, ^^Lord of Heaven 
and Earth"; spiritual, "dwelling not in temples made 
with hands " ; absolute, " not needing anything " ; but 
the Creator and Source of all things. He then de- 
clares that the different nations of the world have a 
common origin, belong to one family, with a providen- 
tial place in space and time, and each left to seek 
the Lord in its own wav. Those who do not think 
there is anything good in heathenism admire the 
speech of Paul above referred to, and call it a master- 
piece of ingenuity and eloquence. Paul did not tell 
the Athenians they were worshiping the true God 
when, in his opinion, they were not. While placing 
God above the world as its ruler, he placed him also 
in the world as an immanent presence, in whom we 
live and move and have our being. He' takes the 
same ground in writing to the Romans : that the Gen- 
tiles had a knowledge of the eternal attributes of 
God (chap, i), and saw him manifested in his works 
(chap, y) ; they also had in their nature a law of duty 
which tau2:ht them to do the thino:s contained in the 
law, and this he calls the law written in the heart. 
He blames them not for ignorance, but for disobedi- 
ence : thus recoo-nizino; that the heathen relisiion con- 
tained essential truth along with their errors. 

Clement of Alexandria refused to consider either 
the Jewish religion or the Greek philosophy as the 
only divine preparation for Christianity. Tertullian 



40 Religions Before Christianity. 

declared the soul to be naturally Christian. The Sibyl- 
line books were quoted as good prophetic works, wor- 
thy to be classed with those of the Jewish prophets. 
Socrates was called by the Fathers a Christian before 
Christ. The extravagant condemnation of the heathen 
religions has in a measure subsided wuthin the last 
few years. To suppose that almost the entire human 
race had been fed on error for long centuries was too 
disparaging, too dishonoring, to a God of light. This 
has led to the placing of some of those old religions 
on a level with Christianity, thus showing how easy 
it is to go from one extreme to another. The Yedas 
are spoken of by many as superior to the Old Testa- 
ment, Confucius is quoted as equal to Paul or John, 
and admiration is expressed for the sacred books ol 
the Buddhists and Brahmans. Good sense calls for a 
candid examination and comparison of these systems. 
The question may properly be asked whether Chris- 
tianity is the only revelation from God to man, and if 
miracle is necessary to prove the communication of 
divine truth. Can we justly regard the record of 
Jesus' life and teaching as all strictly true only on 
account of the miracles which he performed ; because 
many things were done which the people eighteen hun- 
dred years ago thought were real, but whicli are not 
credited by us now ? Believing implicitly in Jesus as 
a Messiah does not involve the necessity of believing 
in the genuineness and authenticity of the whole New 



Ethnic and Catholic Religions. 41 

Testament. The real question is not whether our re- 
ligion is or is not supernatural ; whether Christ's mir- 
acles were or were not violations of natural law ; nor 
whether the New Testament as it stands is the work 
of inspired men. It is better to examine and see if 
the principal ethnic religions of the world are not 
local, incapable of catholicity, and defective, while 
Christianity is progressive and capable of universal ex- 
pansion. In explanation, it may be said that by eth- 
nic religions we mean those which have always been 
confined within the boundaries of a particular race or 
family of mankind, and have never made converts, ex- 
cept accidentally, outside of it. This, we know, is the 
case with most of the religions of the world outside of 
Christianity. 

Ethnic is the Greek for the Latin word Gentile : 
that which " belongs to a race." We find that each 
race, beside its special moral qualities, seems also 
to have special religious qualities. Brahmanism is 
confined to that section or race of the great Aryan 
family which has occupied India for more than thirty 
centuries. It belongs to the Hindus; to the people 
taking their name from the Indus, by the tributaries 
of which stream it entered India from the northwest, 
and has never extended itself beyond these people. 
Its sacred books are more than three thousand years 
old; it has been held by this race as their religion 
from a period so remote in the history of mankind 



42 Heligions before Christianity. 

that we cannot estimate it. From one hundred and 
fifty millions to two hundred millions of people are 
supposed to accept Brahmanism as their faith. It is 
strictly ethnic, having no tendency to become the 
religion of mankind. The same may be said of the 
religion of Confucius — it belongs to China. The Chi- 
nese have observed it as their state religion for more 
than two thousand years, but a Chinese form of Bud- 
dhism is the religion of the masses. But out of Cliina 
Confucius is only a man. With the system of Zoro- 
aster it is the same. It was for a long period the 
religion of one Aryan tribe, who became the ruling 
people among mankind. The Persians extended them- 
selves through Western Asia, and, although they con- 
quered other ' nations, they never communicated their 
religion, for it belonged only to the Iranians and their 
descendants, the Parsees. The same may also be said 
of the religions of Egypt, Greece, Scandinavia; the 
Jewish, Islam, and Buddhist: they are all ethnic; 
those of Egypt and Scandinavia decidedly so. The 
Greeks are said to have borrowed the names of their 
gods from Egypt, but the gods themselves were en- 
tirely different ones. So, also, some of the gods of the 
Romans were borrowed from the Greeks, but their life 
was left behind. 

If the aim of Judaism was to be catholic, there 
was no prospect that it would ever become so. Juda- 
ism, Islam and Christianity all aimed to become uni- 



Ethnic and Catholic Religions, 43 

versal. By seeking to proselyte wii^hout making con- 
verts Judaism failed ; Isltim, because it sought to make 
subjects rather than converts. Its conquests were over 
a variety of distinct races: the Arabs, a Semitic race; 
the Persians, an Indo-European race; the Negroes; 
and the Turks, or Turanians. In a true sense, Islam 
is a heretical Christian sect; Islam is a kind of John 
the Baptist, crying in the wilderness, " Prepare the 
way of the Lord." Mohammed is a schoolmaster to 
bring us to Christ. Mohammedanism does for the na- 
tions what Judaism did : that is, it teaches the Divine 
unity. Buddhism has extended itself over the eastern 
half of Asia, thus showing a tendency to catholicity. 

Brahmanism is not lacking in spirituality; it is full as 

* 

regards the infinite, recognizing eternity, but not time; 
God, but not nature. It is a vast system of spiritual 
pantheism, in which there is no reality but God ; all 
else is illusion. Its followers are particularly pious, but 
singularly immoral. It has no history, for history 
belongs to time. When the sacred books of the Brah- 
mins were written, when their civilization began, or 
aught of its progress and decline, no one knows. 
They strangely enough combine the most ascetic ab- 
straction and self-denial with voluptuous self-indulgence. 
The tendency of their peculiar belief is to see God as 
the infinite, and disregard the finite. 

Buddhism is a revolted offspring of Brahmanism, 
with opposite truths and opposite defects. It recog- 



44 Heligions Before Christianity, 

nizes man, not God ; morality, not piety. Its only 
God is Buddha (figuratively), who, they believe, passed 
through innumerable transmigrations, until, by reason 
of exemplary virtues, he reached the lordship of the 
universe. Nirvana is its heaven — the world of infinite 
bliss. The Buddhists' notion of an infinite God, if 
they have any, is exceedingly faint. The system of 
Confucius is a kind of moral conservatism, prosaic 
and reverential. China has but a vague idea of progress. 
Kepose and earthly comfort is the ever-present desire. 
By the system of Confucius the state was organized 
on the basis of the family ; so also is the Roman 
Church. The word Pope means " the father" : he is 
the father of the whole Church; every bishop and 
every priest is the father of a smaller family ; so all 
born into the Church are children. This is one of 
the most beautiful tenets of the Catholic Church. 
Onlv in China and in Christendom is family life thus 
sacred and worshiped. As the idea of the kingdom 
of heaven is centered in Christianity, so it is in the 
religion of Zoroaster. 

The Zend-Avesta makes every man a soldier fight- 
ing for light or for darkness, as in the Gospels: good 
and evil are perpetual foes. Dualism is discernible 
in all the New - Testament scriptures and the teach- ^ 
ings of the Church. God and Satan, heaven and 
hell, are constantly held up before us. Dualism is 
fully as prominent in the Gospels as it is in the Zend- 



Ethnic and Catholic Religions. 45 

• 

Avesta ; the doctrine of an everlasting punishment in 
hell is not recognized in the Avesta ; but, on the 
other hand, it teaches universal restoration — the ulti- 
mate triumph of good over evil. 

That evil is a formidable enemy of good must be 
universally conceded. The monotheism of Christian- 
ity renders dualism harmless in one sense — that is, 
ultimately : for evil must yield to good in order to 
render a heaven possible, or to give safety to those 
who love and obey God. Christian monotheism dif- 
fers from Jewish and Mohammedan monotheism in 
that it recognizes God in all things as well as above 
all things. We see God in Christ, with his fullness 
of sympathy for our nature ; God with us all, in na- 
ture and providence; above all, and through all. By 
examination thus far we see a great lack in all the 
ethnic religions that nothing but Christianity can fill. 
The former supply this lack only in part, the latter 
fully. 

It may be said, with some truth, that the religions 
of Persia, Egypt, Greece and Rome came to an end 
with their national civilizations. The religions of 
China, Islam, Buddha and Judea remain unchanged, 
though they are further and further behind the spirit 
of the age ; while Christianity is ever on the advance. 
Passing out of its old Jewish body into its new and 
beautiful body, under the teaching of Jesus, who 
came as the true light to lead us safely to the kingdom 



46 Religions Before Christianity. 

of God, it can never cefise, nor its luster be dimmed. 
Hope, faith and love constitute the deep fountain from 
which we can draw forever. Christianity is alone the 
fullness of truth : not come to destroy, but to fulfill ; 
not to annul previous religions, but to supply what 
they had omitted. Christianity is not a system, but a 
life ; not a. creed, but a spirit feeding the life of man 
at its roots by fresh supplies of faith in God, faith ia 
man. 



CHAPTEK III. 

RELIGIOlSr OF CHIKA — CONFUCIANISM. 

China is admitted to be the oldest nation in the 
world, though how long it has existed no one can 
tell. Herodotus, in his travels about 450 B.C., found 
monuments that denoted a great antiquity. On the 
soil of this vast empire we find a very considerable 
portion oi the human race. China proper alone is 
estimated to contain nearly three hundred and fifty 
millions. Its total area is five millions of square 
miles. This is not a land of golden romance or song, 
but of sober fact. Everything points to permanence ; 
the same old pattern is followed. Slight changes in 
politics and social customs take place at long intervals, 
but the main features continue unaltered. 

Enterprise and skill must have been displayed by 
the Chinese at an early period in their history, for 
the mariner's compass, printing, gunpowder and other 
inventions were known to them long before they were 



48 Religions Before Christianity. 

known in Europe. They printed books from wooden 
blocks as early as 958, about five hundred years before 
Gutemberg invented the art of printing. The authen- 
tic history of China dates back over two thousand 
years B.C. The same language has been spoken for 
more than thirty centuries. Canals were common in 
China long before they were constructed in Europe. 
The great canal, like the great wall, is unrivaled by 
any similar work of modern times. Wells were sunk 
at great depths, to obtain salt water, at a time far 
remote in the past. Bronze money was made there 
eleven hundred years B.C. Men rise to the highest 
political stations, not by artful electioneering devices 
and smooth words, but by real merit, sound sense, 
and ability. No attention is paid to birth ; the lowest 
can rise on his merits. 

A state worship, says Mr. Clodd, is kept up by 
the Emperor and his court, in which sacrifices are 
offered to heaven and earth, to the spirits of sages, 
rulers and learned men, and also to mountains, fields 
and rivers. The best-furnished houses contain a cam- 
phor-wood coffin, to be seen by all visitors. Every 
household has its family spirits, to whom honor and 
reverence are paid. But behind all these, and above 
all, the Chinese recognize a Supreme Power, lord of 
the sky, "ancestor of all things"; their notions of him, 
however, are extremely vague. 

China may be said to have three national religions: 



Religion of China — Confucianism, 49 

Buddhism (which was admitted as a religion of the 
state A.D. 65), Tao-ism, and Confucianism. All of 
these are frequently professed by the same person, and 
there is none of that bitter feeling between the be- 
lievers of different creeds which exists among Chris- 
tians, Mussulmans and others. Lao-tse, the founder 
of Tao-ism, lived between five hundred and six hun- 
dred years B.C. Unlike Confucius, he was a thinker, 
and not a worker; he endeavored to explain what 
Buddha could not — spirituality. Confucius is said to 
have visited him for the purpose of gaining informa- 
tion in this respect which he much desired, but did 
not obtain. Tao-ism has become so mixed up with 
magic and other wild and foolish ideas that it is but 
little regarded now in China. K'ung-Foo-Tse, whose 
writing's and life have given direction to Chinese 
thought, bears the Latinized name of Confucius. He 
is their patron saint, and his descendants are held in 
especial honor. The most famous temple in the em- 
pire is built over his grave, hundreds of other temples 
are dedicated to his memory, and thousands of ani- 
mals are sacrificed to him on the two great yearly 
festivals. Confucius was born B.C. 551, and was, 
therefore, contemporary with the Tarquins, Pythag- 
oras and Cyrus. There are at the present day nearly 
forty thousand of his descendants. His family is the 
oldest in the world, unless we consider the Jews as a 
single family of Abraham. The infiuence of his writ- 



50 Religions Before Christianity. 

ings and teachings has heen greater than that of any 
other man who ever lived. 

To recount all that Confucius did for the benefit 
of the Chinese people would occupy too much of our 
space. Through his teaching came the reverence for 
family ties, especially for parents ; the love of order, 
and a recognition of literary merit. Such extended 
influence could only have been produced by great 
worth and ability. To suppose that a man of low 
morals or ordinary intellect, an impostor or entliusiast, 
could have so signally impressed millions of people, is 
simply absurd. There must have been a solid founda- 
tion, a real manifestation of God in man, in a life so 
productive of noble results. His light was not a fitful 
meteor, but an emanation from the Light of all lights. 
Confucius, like other great and good men, labored 
for moral elevation. While his life and teachings 
visibly lack the spirituality inculcated by Jesus, his 
morality was pure and his aims lofty, exhibiting much 
that is worthy to take rank with Christianity. 

He was born the same year that Cyrus became 
king of Persia. His ancestors were men of eminence 
in the country now called the province of Loo. At 
fifteen he had studied the sacred books of the Kings, 
and was married at nineteen. From his only son's son 
descended his immense posterity. 

Disciples collected around him to the number of 
three thousand, and they successfully spread his doc- 



Religion of China — Confucianism. 51 

trines among the common people. He lived to the 
age of seventy-three, and devoted the last years of his 
life to the publication of his works and editing the 
sacred books. Records extending back 2,357 years 
before Christ are considered authentic, and the Chi- 
nese philosophy is said to date back to 3327 B.C. 
Confucius edited the Yih-King, the Shoo-King, the She- 
King, and the Le-Ke, which constitute the whole of 
the literature of ancient China that has come down 
to posterity. One of these is called the "Immutable 
Mean," the object of which is to show that virtue 
consists in avoiding extremes. Another, the Lun-yu, 
or Analects, contains the conversation or table-talk of 
Confucius. 

China was divided into a number of petty king- 
doms in the time of Confucius, and, being without 
a well-established federal head, these factions were in 
continual disagreement. Confucius endeavored for a 
long time to harmonize these differences, and, failing 
to do so, he resigned a place of high public trust and 
retired to another part of the country. But, not con- 
tent to remain idle, he devoted himself to the inculca- 
tion of moral truth and the study of self-government. 
He gathered around him many of the thoughtful and 
good. In time he returned to his native i:)lace. Loo, 
and for some years lived in retirement. In his fiftieth 
year he became minister of state, and for a while 
met with great success. On account of the wild ex- 



52 Heligions Before Christianity. 

cesses of the court, however, he was finally obliged 
to resign his place. To add to his afflictions, poverty 
and other ills came upon him. His words of wisdom 
were not heeded by the people, and he again returned 
to his native land, a despised and poor man. 

Mr. Clodd says the system of Confucius can scarce- 
ly be called a religion, and yet that is the best name 
for it, because it teaches men how to live. He taught 
four things in particular: learning, morals, devotion 
of soul, and reverence. All were required to be sin- 
cere, just, loving, careful of duty to themselves and 
to others. Concerning God or a future life he had lit- 
tle, if anything, to say. His idees of heaven were vague. 
In the sky he could see an emblem of power, but did 
not discern God as the one great Cause of all, to 
whom we should render praise unceasing. This was 
not because Confucius was an unbeliever, for he was 
not; above all men he reverenced the unknown 
power that underlies all things; but because his na- 
ture was so beautifully simple and sincere that he 
would not pretend to a knowledge of that which he 
felt was beyond human reach and thought. To his 
credit let it be said, his life was devoted to teaching 
a few great truths which he believed would bring hap- 
piness to man. He thus speaks of himself: "At fif- 
teen I had my mind bent on learning ; at thirty 
my mind was fixed in the pursuit of it ; at forty I 
saw clearly certain principles ; at fifty I knew the 



lieligion of China — Confucianism, 53 

decrees of heaven; at sixty I understood all I heard; 
at seventy the desires of my heart no longer 
transgressed the law." In saying this, and feeling 
that it was true, he declared what few who ever lived 
could honestly and truly declare. But he goes on to 
say : " If in the morning I hear about the right way, 
and in the evening I die, I can be happy."" He says of 
himself: ''He is a man who, through his earnestness in 
seeking knowledge, forgets his food, and in his joy at 
having found it, loses all sense of his toil, and, thus 
occupied, is unconscious that he has almost reached old 
age." Again : " Coarse rice for food, water to drink, 
and the bended arm for a pillow — happiness may be 
enjoyed even with these; but without virtue, both riches 
and honor seem to me like a passing cloud." "Wor- 
ship as though the Deity were present. If my mind 
is not engaged in my worship, it is as though I wor- 
shiped not. Formerly, in hearing men, I heard their 
words, and gave them credit for their conduct; now 
I hear their words and observe- their conduct." Con- 
fucius was humble ; he said : " I cannot bear to hear 
myself called equal to the sages and the good. All 
that can be said of me is, that I study with de- 
light the conduct of the sages, and instruct men 
without weariness therein. The good man is serene," 
said he; "the bad is always in fear. The good man 
regards the root ; he fixes the root, and all else flows 
out of it. The root is filial piety ; the fruit, brotherly 



54 Religions Before Christianity. 

love. There may be fair words and an humble coun- 
tenance where there is little virtue. I daily examine 
myself in a threefold manner : in my transactions with 
men, if I am upright ; in my intercourse with friends, 
if I am faithful; and whether I illustrate the teachings 
of my master in my conduct." 

The great' principles which he taught were chiefly 
based on family affection and duty. Kings were to 
treat their subjects as children. Can we doubt the 
desire of Confucius to do right, and, as far as he could 
discern, to honor God ? Is it possible that he had a 
bad heart, or was a deceiver ? His industry, above 
all things, was commendable. His whole life was 
filled with commendable actions. Nothing that he 
said or did could encourage vice or immorality. In 
the darkest hour ho had faith, in the midst of danger 
he had courage ; in the highest position of honor he 
had humility. No less than sixteen hundred and sixty 
temples have been erected to the memory of this illus- 
trious character by his devoted followers; while the 
purity of his life, the worthiness of his motives, and 
the extent of his attainments are conceded by the 
wisest and best men of every creed. 

The sacred books, or classics, of the Chinese, as 
given by Dr. Legge, are the Five King and the Four 
Shoo. The Five King are the five canonical works, 
containing truths upon the highest subjects from the 
sages of China, and which should be received as law 



Religion of China — Confucianism. 55 

by all generations. The term Shoo means Biraply, 
writings^ or hooks. The Five King are the Yih^ or 
" Book of Changes " ; the Shoo, or '* Book of Histor- 
ical Documents " ; the She, or " Book of Poetry " ; 
the Le-ke, or " Record of Rites " ; and the CKuii 
Ts^eiL, or ^' Spring and Autumn " : annals extending 
from B.C. 721 to 480. 

Confucms made some additions to the Yih, Shoo, 
and She, but the Ch'un Ts'eu is the only one of the 
^' Five King " which can, with an approximation to 
correctness, be described as of his own '' making." 
The four "Books" are the JLun-yu, occupied chiefly 
with the sayings of Confucius ; the Ta-IIio, or " Great 
Learning," by T sang - Sin, a disciple of Confucius; 
the Chung 'Yung, or "Doctrine of the Mean"; and 
the Works of Mencius, the " Master's " most illustri- 
ous disciple. These books Confucius studied with 
great care and attention, making such corrections as 
were necessary to their complete understanding. It 
would appear that tlie philosophy of the Tao-te-king is 
that of absolute being, or the identity of being and 
not-being. It teaches that the absolute is the source 
of being and not-being. Being is essence, not-being 
is existence. The first is the noumenal ; the last, the 
phenomenal. 

The philosophy of the Confucians, though an ulti- 
mate principle, is not identical with a living, intelli- 
gent and personal God. In speaking of Teen, or 



56 Heligions Before Christianity. 

Heaven, Confucius did not express faith in such a being, 
nor did his worship and prayers fully imply it. There 
was obviously reverence for an unknown power con- 
ceived of, but only in a measure understood. What 
that power was Confucius did not pretend to under- 
Btand. In the She-King a personal God is addressed. 
The oldest books recognize a Divine Person, and 
teach that there is one Supreme Being, who is om- 
nipresent, who sees all things and has an intelligence 
which nothing can escape ; that he wishes men to live 
together in peace and brotherhood; that this Being 
demands not only pure desires, but right actions. 
Humility is declared to be the solid foundation of all 
virtue. The teachings of these Kings may be safely 
Bet down as the oldest production of the human mind 
now in existence. When these books of Kings were 
revised by Confucius, his own explanations and com- 
ments were added, and these constituted the last acts 
of his life. To close all, he made a solemn dedication 
of these books to Heaven. Placing them on an altar 
of his own erection, he returned thanks for being 
allowed to finish his work. 

Something should perhaps be said about "The Ti- 
Ping Pevolution" (published in London, 1866), written 
by an Englishman, which gives correct accounts of 
many observances, forms and ceremonies quite as sol- 
emn and impressive as any among the Protestant 
Christians in Europe and America. We have not 



Religion of China — Confucianism. 57 

room to speak of these at IcDgth, but they show how 
easily Christianity may have been ingrafted into this old 

Gentile stock, giving an earnest of the time, that will 
eventually come, when a better and more real knowl- 
edge of God than the heathen world could in their 
time possibly attain shall cover the earth as the waters 
cover the deep. 



CHAPTER IV. 

BRAHMANISM AND HINDUISM. 

BliAHiviANiSM: and Hinduism include many Hindu 
Beets that differ greatly from each other in belief and 
form of worship, but all receive the Yedas as the in- 
spired word of God. They comprise altogether a 
large proportion of mankind. Unlike the religions 
founded by Jesus, Zoroaster, and Mohammed, the 
history of Brahmanism, says Mr. Clodd, does not gather 
round a person. A thorough study of all its sacred 
books would be the work of an ordinary lifetime. 
Hence this religion is difficult to explain. We know 
less about it than we do concerning the old Aryan 
religion. It may be not improperly styled a body of 
shapeless things, which can be formed into an orderly 
whole only with great labor and difficulty ; yet it is 
rich in the profoundest thoughts of a deeply religious 
people. It teaches that the end of every life should 
be to shut its ears to the call of duty ; to be unmoved 



JBrahmanisvi and Hinduism, 59 

by pleasure or pain, and to sit down to dreamy think- 
ing. It has caused the Hindus to fall into the gross- 
est and most loathsome superstitions, and to obey the 
most foolish priest-made rules about food and cleans- 
ing, and other lil^e matters. 

Brahmanism, says Mr. Clarke, with all the late 
aids, is a difficult study. Its source is not in a man, 
but in a caste. It is not the religion of a Confucius, 
a Zoroaster, a Mohammed, but the religion of the 
Brahmans. We call it Brahmanism, but it can be 
traced to no individual as its founder or restorer. It 
is a vast world of ideas, but wanting in the unity 
which is given by the life of a man as its embodiment 
and representative. It is a system so vast, so compli- 
cated, so full of contradictions, so various and change- 
able, that it is impossible to do it justice. From the 
earliest times India has been a mystery. Away back 
in the world's history, India is heard of as being the 
most populous of nations, full of barbaric wealtli and 
strange wisdom. Conquering armies have been at- 
tracted to it. Semiramis, Darius, Alexander, Mahmud, 
Tamerlane, and the Duke of Wellington have all given 
it attention, and left traces of war's devastating power. 
The British Mercantile Company have plundered India 
no less ruthlessly than invading armies ; yet there re- 
mains the same marvelous country as before. It is 
the same land now that it was in the time of Alexan- 
der : a land of grotto temples dug out of solid por- 



60 Religions Before Christianity. - 

phyry; of social distinctions as fixed as the earth 
itself; the land of one of the most ancient pagan 
religions of the world ; of the sacred Ganges ; of the 
idols of Juggernaut and its bloody worship ; the land 
of elephants, tigers, fields of rice and groves of palm ; 
of treasuries filled with chests of gold and heaps of 
pearls and diamonds. But, above all, it is a land of 
unintelligible systems of belief, of puzzling incongrui- 
ties and irreconcilable contradictions. 

While the Hindus have sacred books of great an- 
tiquity, and a rich literature extending back nearly 
thirty centuries, they have, in one sense, no history, 
no chronology, no annals. Their philosophy is acute, 
profound and spiritual, mixed with the coarsest super- 
stitions. With a belief so abstract as to be almost 
beyond the grasp of the most speculative intellect, 
the notion is maintained that sin can be atoned for 
by bathing the body in their sacred river, the Ganges. 
They had an ideal pantheism resembling that of 
Hegel, united with the opinion that Brahma and Siva 
can be driven from the throne of the universe by the 
sacrifice of wild horses. 

To be, if possible^ abstracted from matter ; to re- 
nounce, in a degree, all gratification of the senses ; to 
macerate the body, is by the zealous Hindu thought 
to be the true road to felicity; and yet by some 
licentiousness and the gratification of the appetites is 
carried to the extreme. A code of laws, older far 



Brahmanism and Hinduism. 61 

than the Christian era, fixes the rights and privileges 
of ruler and subject. Their constitution is like a 
house without a foundation, without a roof. Tlie 
Hindu religion forbids the killing of a worm, or the 
treading on a blade of grass, for fear of injuring life; 
while the torments, cruelties and bloodshed inflicted 
by Indian tyrants would shock a Nero. 

Mr. Clarke says: "Half the best-informed writers 
on India will tell you that the Brahmanical religion is 
pure monotheism; the other half as confidently assert 
that they worship a million gods. Some teach us 
that the Hindus are spiritualists and pantheists ; others, 
tliat their idolatry is more gross than that of any other 
living people."' There really seems to be no way of 
reconciling the inconsistencies that meet us at every 
step in our study of this peculiar people. Their life 
is a mighty maze, seemingly without a plan. But we 
must remember that the whole tendency of thought 
in India is ideal ; the whole religion, spiritualism. 
The God of Brahmanism is an intelligence absorbed 
in the rest of profound contemplation. The good man 
of this religion is he who withdraws from an evil 
world into abstract thought, and this is just what ex- 
plains the Hindu character. So w'e have no definite 
way of obtaining light on the dark subject of Hindu- 
ism. 

Sandracottus, a contemporary of Alexander, became 
king B.C. 315, at which time Buddha, according to 



62 Religions Before Christianity. 

Hindu traditions, had been dead one hundred and 
sixty-two years. Buddha may have died B.C. 477; 
and thus a single date from Greek history may have 
been incorporated into that of India. This is all the 
light that can be obtained as to the vague antiquity of 
the Hindu race. 

Going back to the condition of family life among 
this great people of Central Asia before their disper- 
sion, we find them included under the general name 
of Aryans, who occupied the land called Ar-ya-vesta; 
or, inhabited by honorable Tuen, The people of Iran 
receive this same appellation in the Zend-Avesta, with 
the same meaning of honorable, Strabo mentions that 
in the time of Alexander the whole region about the 
Indus was called Ariana, In modern times, Iran 
for Persia, and ^rin for Ireland, may be reminiscences 
of the original family appellation. Long before the 
age of the Vedas or the Zend-Avesta, the Aryans 
were living as a pastoral people on the great plains 
east of the Caspian Sea, and we may be pretty sure 
that they lived in houses, and knew something of nau- 
tical affairs. 

It is also very clear that, some 3000 years B.C., 
the Aryans were n.ot yet divided into Hindus, Per- 
sians, Kelts, Latins, Greeks, Teutons and Slavi, but 
w^ere living in Central Asia, in a region of which 
Bactria was the center. They were a pastoral, but not 
a nomad, people; they had oxen, horses, sheep, and 



Brahmanism and Hinduism. 63' 

other domestic animals, and fowls. Herds of cows 
found pasturage, and stables to shelter them when the 
weather was inclement. They had fields of barlej, 
r;nd, probably, other cereals, and mills for grinding 
their grain; the plow, hatchet, hammer and auger; 
and among the metals, gold, silver, copper and tin. 
They understood spinning and weaving, and the mak- 
ing of pottery. We have no knowledge as to the 
construction of their houses, except that they had doors, 
w^indows and fireplaces. In cooking, they broiled and 
roasted meats. They had cloaks and mantles ; lances, 
swords and shields, but no armor. They had family 
life, simple laws, games, the dance, and wind instru- 
ments. They worshiped or paid homage to heaven, 
earth, sun, fire, water, and wind : but there are traces 
of an earlier monotheism, from which this nature-w^or- 
ship proceeded. Their year was 360 days. 

Treating of this people historically at such great 
length may seem out of place, but we have felt war- 
ranted in so doing, as from this Aryan race so many 
nations have originated, and also on account of their 
great antiquity. 

The Yedas, the oldest works extant in Hindu lit- 
erature, are fifteen hundred years more recent than the 
time we have been describing. The Aryans have 
separated, and the Hindus are now in India, occupy- 
ing the region between the Punjaub and the Ganges, 
where was accomplished the change of habits from 



64: Religions Before Christianity. 

warlike shepherds to agriculturists and builders of 
cities. Saint Martin says the last hymns of the Vedas 
were written after the Hindus had migrated from the 
Indus to the Ganges, and while they were building 
their oldest city at the confluence of that river with 
the Jumna. Their complexion was then white; the 
race they conquered were afterward called lowest 
caste^ blacks. 

In the Yedic age there were five principal gods : 
Indra^ god of the atmosphere ; Yaruna^ god of light, 
or heaven; Agniy god of fire ; Savitri, god of the sun; 
jSomay god of the moon. Yama was the god of 
death. There were also many other inferior gods, 
but, among all the divinities, Indra and Agni were 
tlie chief. Behind this incipient polytheism lurks the 
original monotheism, for each of these gods in turn 
becomes the Supreme Being. The Universal Deity 
seems to reveal himself first in one form of nature, 
and then in another. Such is the opinion of Cole- 
brooke, who says that the ancient Hindu religion rec- 
ognizes but one God, it not having yet sufficiently 
discriminated between the creature and the Creator. 
Max Mueller says the hymns celebrate Yaruna, Indra, 
Agni, etc., and each in turn is called supreme. He 
adds : " It would be easy to find, in the numerous 
hymns of the Yeda, passages in which almost every 
single god is represented as supreme and absolute. 
Indra is celebrated as the strongest god, and in one 



' Brahmanism and Ilinduisra. 65 

hymn it is said that Indra is stronger than all. Of 
another it is said that he is the conqueror of every- 
one. 

The following hymn is from one of the oldest Ye- 
das (Rig -Veda, x, 121): 

" In the beginning arose the Source of golden 
light. He was the only born Lord of all that is. He 
established the earth and the sky. Who is the god 
to whom we shall offer our sacrifice ? 

" He who gives life. He who gives strength ; 
whose blessing all the bright gods desire ; whose 
shadow is immortality, whose shadow is death. Who 
is the god to whom we shall offer our sacrifice ? 

" He who through his power is the only king of 
the breathing and awakening world. He who governs 
all, man and beast. Who is the god to whom we 
shall offer our sacrifice ?" 

This is a fair sample of the hymns of the Rig- 
Yeda, all of which seem to breathe the true spirit 
of devotion ; to recognize a Supreme God as the gov- 
ernor, as well as the former, of all matter, of all beings. 
God was found by these Vedic worshipers, the sin- 
cerity of whose faith none of us ought to question. 
Where shall we find authority for condemning such 
as strive with all their powers to live as well as they 
can according to the light given them ? 

Colebrooke and other eminent writers say that the 
oldest and most striking account of the Creation is 



66 Religions Before Christianity, 

contained in the tenth chapter of the thirteenth 
book of the Eig-Yeda, as follows: 

" Then there was no entity, nor non-entity ; no 
world, no sky, nor aught above it; nothing anywhere, 
involving or involved ; no water, deep and dangerous. 
Death was not, and therefore no immortality, nor dis- 
tinction of day or night. But That One breathed 
calmly alone with Nature, slie who was sustained 
within him. Other than He, nothing existed since. 
Darkness there was ; the universe was enveloped with 
darkness, and w^as indistinguishable waters; but that 
mask which was covered by the husk was produced 
by the power of contemplation. First, desire was 
formed in his mind ; and that became the original pro- 
ductive seed, which the wise, recognizing it by the 
intellect in their hearts, distinguished as the bond of 
non-entity with entity. 

" Did the luminous ray of these expand in the 
middle, above, or below ? That productive energy 
became providence and matter; iSIature, who is sus- 
tained within, was inferior ; and he who sustained was 
above. 

" Who knows exactly, and who shall in this world 
declare, w^hence and why this creation took place ? 
The gods are subsequent to the production of this 
world : then who can know whence it proceeded, or 
whence this varied world arose, or whether it upholds 



Brahmanism and Hinduism. 67 

or not ? He who, in the highest heaven, is the ruler 
of this universe — he knows, or does not know.'' 

The following hymn, says Mueller, would sound 
well in a Christian liturgy, leaving out the word "Va- 
runa " : 

]* "Let me not yet, O Yaruna, enter into the 
house of clay ; have mercy, almighty, have mercy ! 

2. " If I go along trembling, like a cloud driven 
by the wind, have mercy, almighty, have mercy ! 

3. " Through want of strength, thou strong and 
bright god, have I gone to the wrong shore; have 
mercy, almighty, have mercy ! 

4. " Thirst came upon the worshiper, though he 
stood in the midst of the waters; have mercy, al- 
mighty, have mercy ! 

5. " Whenever we men, O Varuna, commit an 
offense before the heavenly host; whenever we break 
thy law through thoughtlessness; have mercy, al- 
mighty, have mercy !" . 

Is it possible that words like these could have had 
their origin in any source but in the God whom we 
Christians worship ? Will any one dare to say that 
the people who uttered them had no devotional feel- 
ing ? Call them gentiles or heathens, as we may, 
they were feeling after God, looking up to the great 
Heaven of heavens. They constitute a tree whose 
roots started from the great Source of all things. 
What is wanted in their case is not to be cut down, 



68 Heligions Before Christianity. 

cast off, thrown away, but to be built upon, to be in- 
doctrinated with a faith in Christianity, to have all 
the Christian graces added to the good which they 
now possess. 

The space we allotted to this subject has been 
pretty well taken up, but we will give a part of one 
more hymn addressed to " Indra " : 

1. "Let no one, not even those who worship thee, 
delay thee far from us. Even from afar come to our 
feast ! or if thou art here, listen to us ! 

2. " For those who here make prayers for thee 
sit together near the libation, like flies round the 
honey. The worshipers, anxious for wealth, have 
placed their desires upon Indra, as we put our foot 
upon a chariot. 

3. "Desirous of riches, I call him who holds the 
thunderbolt with his arm, and who is a good giver, 
like as a son calls his father. 

4. " These libations of . soma, mixed with milk, 
have been prepared for Indra ; thou, armed with the 
thunderbolt, come with the steeds to drink with them 
to thy delight ; come to the house ! 

5. "May he hear us, for he has ears to hear. He 
IS asked for riches : will he despise our prayers ? He 
could soon give hundreds and thousands ; no one could 
check him if he wishes to give." 

13. "Make for the sacred gods a hymn that is not 
small, that is well - set and beautiful ! Many snares 



Brahmanism and HinduisrYi. 69 

pass by him who abides with Indra through his sacri- 
fice." 

Mueller says that Indra is here clearly conceived as 
the Supreme God ; and we can hardly understand how 
a people who had so exalted a notion of the Deity 
and embodied it in the person of Indra, could at the 
same sacrifice invoke other gods with equal praise. 

It was the business of every Brahman to learn by 
heart the Vedas during the twelve years of his student 
life. None of the ordinary modern words for hook^ 
2)(iper^ ink^ or writing have been found in any ancient 
Sanskrit work. In a book relating to Buddha, trans- 
lated into Chinese A.D. 76, he is represented as teach- 
ing somewhat as Jesus did ; but the first authentic 
inscription in India is of Buddhistic origin, belonging 
to the third century B.C. The Vedic age, according 
to Mueller, may be reckoned as follows: 

Sutra period, from B.C. 200 to B.C. 600. 

Brahmana period, from B.C. 600 to B.C. 800. 

Mantra period, from B.C. 800 to B.C. 1000. 

Chhandas period, from B.C. 1000 to B.C. 1200. 

Dr. Haug considers the Yedic period to have been 
from B.C. 1200 to B.C. 2000, and the very oldest 
hymns to have been composed B.C. 2400. The prin- 
cipal deity in the oldest Vedas is Indra^ god of the 
air; who in the Greek becomes Zeus; and in the 
Latin, Jupiter, The hymns to Indra are somewliat 
similar to the Psalms of the Old Testament. Indra 



70 Religions Before Christianity. 

was the most ancient god whom the Fathers worshiped ; 
next came Agni^ fi^'^^ derived from the root Ag^ to 
move. Fire was worshiped as the principle of motion 
on the earth, as Indra was worshiped as the moving 
power above. 

Mr. Maury quotes from Gotama : " Aditi is heaven ; 
Aditi is air ; Aditi is mother, father and son ; Aditi 
is all the gods and the five races; Aditi is whatever is 
born and will be born ; is, in short, the heavens and 
the earth, the heavens being the father, and the earth 
the motlier, of all things." 

Brahmanism did not begin till long after the age of 
the elder Vedas. " The Manu of the Yedas and he 
of the Brahmans are very different persons. The 
first is called in the Yedas the father of mankind. He 
also escapes from a deluge by building a ship, which 
he is advised to do by a fish which grows to a great 
size, and, when the flood comes, acts as a tow-boat to 
drag the ship of Manu to a mountain." This is accord- 
ing to the account in the Brahmana. The name of 
Mantl seems to have been given by the Brahmans to 
the author of their code. 

The following are extracts from the first book, on 
the Creation : 

'^ The universe existed in darkness, imperceptible, 
undefinable, undiscoverable, and undiscovered; as if 
immersed in sleep. 

" Then the self-existing power, undiscovered himself, 



Srahmanisin and Hinduism, 71 

but making the world discernible, with the five ele- 
ments and other principles, appeared in undiminished 
glory, dispelling the gloom. 

" He whom the mind alone can perceive, whose 
essence eludes the external organs, who has no visible 
parts, who exists from eternity, even he, the soul of all 
things, shone forth in person. 

" He liaving willed to produce f arious beings from 
his own divine substance, first with a thought created 
the waters, and placed in them a productive seed. 

" The seed became an egg bright as gold, blazing 
like the luminary with a thousand beams, and in that 
egg he was born himself, in the form of Brahma, the 
great forefather of all spirits." 

" The waters are called Nara, because they were 
the production of Nara, or the spirit of God ; and 
hence they were his first ayana, or place of motion; 
he, hence, is named Nara yana, or moving of the 
waters. 

" In that egg the great power sat inactive a whole 
year of the creator, at the close of which, bj his 
thought alone, he caused the egg to divide itself. 

" And from its two divisions he framed the heaven 
above and the earth beneath ; in the midst he placed 
the subtile ether, the eight regions, and the permanent 
receptacle of waters. 

"From the supreme soul he drew forth mind, ex- 
isting substantially, though unperceived by sense, im- 



72 Heligions Before Christianity. 

material; and before mind, or the reasoning power, 
lie produced consciousness, the internal monitor, the 
ruler. 

"And before them both he produced tlie great 
principle of the soul, or first expansion of the divine 
idea ; and all vital forms endued with the three quali- 
ties of goodness, passion and darkness, and tlie five 
perceptions of sen^e, and the five organs of sensation." 

" The very birth of Brahmans is a constant incar- 
nation of Dharma, god of justice ; for the Brahman is 
born to promote justice, and to procure ultimate hap- 
piness. 

" When a Brahman springs to light, he is born 
above the world, the chief of all creatures, assigned to 
guard the treasury of duties, religious and civil. 

" The Brahman who studies this book, having per- 
formed sacred rites, is perpetually free from ofiense in 
thought, in word and in deed. 

" He confers purity on his living family, on his 
ancestors, and on his descendants as far as the seventh 
person, and he alone deserves to possess this whole 
earth." 

For want of space we omit quotations from Book 
II, " On Education and the Priesthood " ; also from 
Book lY, "On Private Morals"; and from Book Y,j 
"On Diet." The Sixth Book of the Laws of Manu 
relates to " Devotion." Brahmans wxre inclined to 
asceticism. A Brahman, or twice-born man, becomes 



Brahmanism and Hinduism. 73 

an ascetic ; lie abandons his family, and goes to live 
in the forest ; makes roots and fruits his food, and a 
bark garment or skin his clothing; he must bathe 
morning and evening, and allow his liair to grow. 
He must spend his time in reading the Veda, with a 
mind intent on the Supreme Being; he must be a 
perpetual giver, but no receiver of gifts, and be im- 
bued with a tender aifection for all animated bodies. 
He is to perform various sacrifices, with offerings of 
fruits and flowers; practice austerities by exposing 
himself to heat and cold ; and, for the purpose of unit- 
ing liis soul with the Divine Spirit, he must study 
the Upanishads : " A Brahman, having shuffled off 
his body by these modes, which great sages practice, 
and becoming void of sorrow and fear, is exalted into 
the divine essence." 

''Let him not wish for death. Let him not wish 
for life. Let him expect his appointed time, as the 
hired servant expects his wages. 

"Meditating on the Supreme Spirit, without any 
earthly desire, with no companion but his own soul, 
let him live in this world seeking the bliss of the 
next." 

The anchorite is to beg his food, and that only 
once in a day ; if none be given him, he must not be 
sorrowful; and if he receive it, he must not be glad; 
he is to meditate on the subtle, indivisible essence of 
the Supreme Being ; he is to be careful not to destroy 



74 Religions Before Christianity. 

life, even of the smallest insect; and he must make 
atonement for the death of those wliich he has igno- 
rantly destroyed by repeating in a particular way the 
traditional syllable A U M. 

The Seventh Book relates to the duties of rulers. 
One of these is to reward the good and punish the 
bad. The Eighth Book relates to civil and criminal 
law. The Ninth Book relates to women, to' families, 
and to the law of castes. It states that women must 
be kept in a state of dependence. The Tenth Book 
relates to mixed classes and times of distress. The 
Eleventh Book relates to penance and expiation. " A 
Brahman who has performed an expiation with his 
whole mind fixed on God purifies his soul." Intoxi- 
cating liquors are prohibited; a Brahman who tastes 
them sinks to the low caste of a Sudra\ 

The last book of Manu treats of transmigration 
and final beatitude. The highest of all virtues is dis- 
interested goodness, performed from the love of God, 
and based on a knowledge of the Yeda. A religious 
action, performed from hope of reward in this world or 
the next, will give one a place in the lowest heaven. 
But he who performs good actions without hope of 
reward, perceiving the supreme soul in all beings, and 
all beings in the supreme soul, fixing his mind on God, 
approaches the divine nature. 

"Let every Brahman, with fixed attention, con- 
sider all nature as existing in the divine spirit; all 



Brahmanisin and Ilinduism. 75 

worlds as seated in him ; he alone as the whole as- 
semblage of gods; and he the author of all human 
actions." 

There are three great systems of Hindu philosophy: 
the Sankhya, the Nyaya, and the Vedanta ; reaching 
back into a misty twilight, leaving it doubtful when 
they began or who were their authors. The object 
of deliverance from all cares, with eternal rest and 
peace, characterizes them all. These are held by all 
the Brahmans who consider themselves orthodox. 
The Yedantists hold that, while in truth there is but 
one God, the various forms of worship in the Vedas, 
of Indra, Agni, the Maruts, etc., were all intended for 
those who could not rise to this sublime monotheism. 
The great problem to be solved in these philosophies , 
is, How did all things come? Much that might be 
said about Brahma, Brahmanism and Hinduism would 
fail to interest the general reader, as we fear may be 
the case with a portion of what has been given. 

According to Mr. "Wilson, the works known as 
JPuranas were promulgated in their original form 
' about one hundred years B.C. Of these there are 
now eighteen in all, the greater portion of which are 
devoted to the worship of Vischnu. Brahma, who is 
in one place called "the cause of causes," proclaims 
Yischnu to be the only pure, absolute essence, of which 
the universe is the manifestation. 

Hinduism was widely different in its early history 



76 lieligions before Christianity. 

from what it is now, having of late become much cor- 
rupted — as there is reason to fear may be the case 
with the Christian religion in time. Too often the 
substance of things is lost sight of in a wild pursuit of 
the shadow; *so ritualistic forms and ceremonies are 
in many instances practiced as a substitute for pure 
religion of the heart, which consists in works alone. 
Devotion is an inward work, without regard to ex- 
ternal show. The idea that God manifested himself 
to Moses for the first time on the earth, in a way in 
which mortals could discern him, and that he contin- 
ued to so reveal himself to the Hebrew leaders until 
the advent of Jesus, is a mistaken one, and is about as 
far from the truth as it would be to say there was no 
God before the commencement of what is so improp- 
erly denominated the Mundane Era. Independent 
thinkers can see that a change is all the time going on 
for the l^etter, though with a degree of slowness that 
is painful. Superstitions instilled into young minds 
grow with their growth and strengthen with tlieir 
strength, until the importance of good works is lost 
sight of and formalism depended on to gain eternal 
rest. 

High-Church Christians think the forms of worship 
in early Brahman days were mos't abominable. God's 
light was then as well as now discernible. The ray, 
thouo-h but feeble, can be distino-uished. How can it 
be otherwise, when we look closely? God is light, 



£rahr)ianisnh and Hinduism, 77 

and the author of light. We should not look for per- 
fection in mortal man. Good thoughts are apt to 
get mixed with bad ones. Just ideas of God and his 
providences do not come to us in our imperfect state. 
Purity can hardly be contained in an impure vessel. 
The Brahman undoubtedly acted as honestly in mat- 
ters of religion as the Christians do now. 

Women in India worship a goddess friendly to 
little babies. They bring the infants to be blessed 
by some venerable woman before the image of the 
goddess, whose messenger is a cat. This is just as truly 
believed to be efficacious as many other ceremonies. 
How many infants that are said to be regenerate and 
grafted into the body of Christ's Church turn out to be 
devils in conduct, and totall}^ unfit to form any part of 
Christ's Church or any other ! 

June in India is devoted to the bath of the god 
called Juggernaut, who is considered one of the incar- 
nations of Visclmu. Worship is also paid to the Ganges 
during this month. Important festivals for worship 
are also held during most of the other months. 

This religion and its offishoots, says Dr. Ward, 
is professed by more than half the human race. The 
Yeda is known throughout India; the religion of 
Boodhj a Hindu incarnation, prevails in the Birman 
Empire and Ceylon ; and Lamaism, in Tartary, of 
Egyptian origin. 

The elaborated work of Mr. Maurice gives a full 



78 Religions Before Christianity. 

account of the Hindu nation and their religious systems. 
Mr. Maurice maintains that the first miration of 
mankind took place from tlie region of Ararat, where 
the Ark rested, before the confusion of tongues at 
Babel, and that Noah himself or some of the descend- 
ants of Shem led on this journey to the western frontiers 
of India, with a pure religion, w^hich they continued to 
practice until the descendants of Ham invaded and 
conquered India and corrupted their ancient religion. 
We have the authority of Sir William Jones for say- 
ing that the supreme god Brahma in his triple form is 
the only self-existent divinity acknowleged by the phil- 
osophical Hindus. When they consider the divine power 
as exerted in creation, they call the deity Bralima; as 
a destroyer or changer of forms, they call him Ma- 
hadcva^ Siva, and various other names ; as the preserver, 
he is called Yischnu. This triad they suppose to be 
always everywhere, not in substance, but in spirit and 
energy. According to the before-mentioned authors, 
there is a perpetual recurrence of the sacred triad in 
the Asiatic mythology. It is also said that the doc- 
.trine of a trinity w^as promulgated in India in the 
Geeta fifteen hundred years before the birth of Plato, 
it having originated with the ancient patriarchs. 

The Hindu system teaches the existence of good 
and evil genii, who are eternally in conflict, filling 
creation with uproar continuall}''. This doctrine teach- 
es, also, that degenerate spirits falling from rectitude 



Brahmanism and Hinduism,. 79 

migrate through various spheres in the bodies of ani- 
mals. They also suppose that there are fourteen 
spheres, or hohuns — seven below and seven above the 
earth. The spirits above are continually ascend- 
ing, and reach to the residence of Brahma and his 
particular favorites. After the soul transmigrates 
through various animal mansions, it ascends up the 
great sidereal ladder of seven gates, and through the 
revolving spheres, which are called in India the bo- 
buns of purification. The Brahmans believe that man 
is a fallen creature. Metempsychosis was designed to 
restore the fallen soul to the pristine state of perfec- 
tion and blessedness. Deity was represented as only 
punishiDg to reform his creatures. Nature itself was 
considered one vast field of purgatory. Their sacred 
writings represent the whole universe as an ample 
and august theater for the probationary exercise of 
millions of beiugs who are supposed to be so many 
spirits degraded from the high honors of angelic dis- 
tinction, and condemned to ascend through various 
gradations of toil and suffering to an exalted sphere 
of perfection and happiness, which they enjoyed be- 
fore their defection. 

These ideas, so well understood by Plato, were, 
beyond a question, in existence long before his time, 
and came down, possibly, from nations of higher cult- 
ure than any then on the earth. 

One great branch of the business of our age is to 



80 Heligions Before Christianity. 

bring to light a knowledge of the past. In so doing, 
it will appear plain that a great portion of what we 
call new in religion, in Bcienee and art, is but uncov- 
ering the past. The Hindus hold to punishment after 
death, but that ultimately the whole family of man 
will be happy. Sacrifices and oficrings were not un- 
common with them. Their ancient books, the Ve- 
das, are filled with religious precepts, prayers and 
liymns — used as books of devotion as well in the 
primitive days of their religion as at present. 



CHAPTER V. 

BUDDHISM. 

Buddhism, which is thought by Mr. Clodd to num- 
ber more followers than any other faith, is younger 
by many hundred years than the old Hindu religion, 
and yet learned men differ as to what much of it 
really means. This is not strange, when we consider 
that the Christian believers are at a loss to tell the 
meaning of much contained in the Scriptures, though 
comparatively of recent date, and hence are divided 
into more than a thousand sects. Buddhism is a re- 
formed successor to Brahmanism. The founder of Bud- 
dhism, of royal parentage, was born not less than 
628 years B.C., in Kapilavastu, the capital city of a 
kingdom north of Oude, in India. He was called 
Gautama^ from the tribe to which he belonged. His 
father gave to him the name of Siddartha^ or, "he 
in whom wishes are fulfilled," but in after years he 
was called Buddha^ the enlightened. His future 



82 Religions Before Christianity. 

greatness was revealed to his mother in a dream, 
soon after which she died. Max Mueller tells lis he 
used to say that all on earth was unstable and life 
transitory. Therefore he resolved to leave his palace 
and retire from the world to escape all that was un- 
real in it. Leaving his wife and son, he decided not 
to see them again till he had become the Buddha. 

Fergusson says that Buddhism is many centuries 
older than Christianity, and that topes^ or shrines for 
relics, of very great antiquity, exist in India, Ceylon, 
Birmah and Java. Many of these topes belong to 
the age of Asoka, the great Buddhist emperor, who 
ruled all India B.C. 250, in whose reign Buddhism 
became the religion of the state and held its third 
OEcumenical Council. The ancient Buddhist archi- 
tecture is very singular, and often beautiful, consist- 
ing of topes, rock-cut temples, and monasteries. Some 
of the topes are monolitliic columns more than forty 
feet high, with ornamented capitals ; some are immense 
domes of brick and stone containing sacred relics. A 
piece of ivory or bone about two inches long, said to 
be a tooth of Buddha, was conveyed, A.D. 311, from 
India to Ceylon, where it is kept in six cases, the 
largest of which is five feet high, and of solid silver. 
The other cases are inlaid witli rubies and precious 
stones. The " left collar-bone relic '' is contained in 
a belt-shaped tope, built by a Hindu rajah, B.C. 250, 



Buddhism. 83 

beside which two others were erected, the last being 
eighty cubits high. 

Besides the rock-cut temples in India, the rock-cut 
monasteries are numerous, thou2:h the latter have lonij 
been deserted. One of the former, at Karli, excavated 
from solid rock, resembling in form the Koman Cath- 
olic churches, with a nave, and both aisles terminating 
in an apse, or semi-dome, is one hundred and twenty- 
six feet long and forty-five feet wide. It has fifteen 
richly-carved columns on each side, separating the nave 
from the aisles. More than eight hundred of these 
are known to exist, most of them having been exca- 
vated between 200 B.C. and 500 A.D. Buddhist 
monks then, as now, took the same three vows of 
celibacy, poverty, and obedience. 

Though given to constant and intense thought, 
Gautama Buddha lived happily with his wife. He 
said : " There must be some supreme intelligence in 
which we can find rest. If I attained it, I could 
bring light to men. If I were free myself, I could 
deliver the world." Departing from his wife and 
child, he went among the Brahmans, to see if, by their 
teachings, his burthens could be lightened. In the 
performance of their ceremonies and attendance to 
their rites he found no relief. Retiring to a small 
village and practicing severer rites, attention was drawn 
to his austerities, and five disciples joined him. In a 
few years, a recluse life becoming distasteful and un- 



84 Religions Before Christianity. 

likely to lead to that state of perfection so mucli de- 
sired, he sought again the comforts of social life and 
the opportunities it afforded for the spread of a new 
doctrine, as really the only way such a work was pos- 
sible. 

One day, while seated in deep meditation under 
the shade of a tree, the knowledge burst upon him by 
which he became Buddha — that is, the man who 
knew. Under this same tree he is sAid to have fasted 
seven times seven days and nights, subject all the 
time to attacks from the demon of wickedness, the 
demon at last using force, though he suffered defeat 
in the end, and Buddha succeeded by aid of the ten 
great virtues. The weapons of the evil one were 
changed into beautiful flowers, falling upon Buddha. 
Even rocks became nosegays. "Whereupon, as Mr; 
Clodd says, " the spirits who had watched over his 
birth, and who now followed his life on the earth, rent 
the air with shouts of joy at his victory. Afterward 
the tempter sent his three daughters, one a winning 
girl, one a blooming virgin, and one a middle-aged 
beauty, to allure him, but they could not. Buddha 
was proof against all the demon's arts, and his only 
trouble was whether it were well or not to preach his 
doctrine to men." Feeling how hard to gain was that 
which he had gained, and how enslaved men were by 
their passions, and that they might neither listen to 
nor understand him, he was almost inclined to be 



Buddhism. 85 

silent, and was moved only by deep compassion to 
tell his secret to mankind, that they might also be 
free. Thus he became the founder of one of the 
most popular religions of ancient or modern times. 
Though encountering strong opposition from the Brah- 
mans, he steadily made converts of the high and low 
until the time of his death, in his eighty-fifth year, 
which occurred while he was seated under a tree. 
His remains were burned and the fragments divided into 
eight portions, over each of which a tope was built. 
Many stories were told about the miracles wrought by 
him, though he told his disciples the true miracle 
was to hide their good deeds and confess their sins. 
Yery soon after his death his disciples held a 
general council to fix doctrines and rules of their 
religion. Buddha had left no writings of .his own, 
and his disciples wrote only from memory. Mr. 
Clodd says : " It is interesting to note that among 
these were two men, one of deep earnestness and 
zeal, the other of most sweet nature, loving Buddha 
much, and most beloved by him; reminding us of 
two of Christ's disciples — Peter and John. Two other 
councils were held afterward for the correction of 
errors that had crept into the faith, and for sending 
missionaries into other lands. The last of these coun- 
cils is said to have been held 251 years B.C. So 
that, long before Christianity was founded, we have 



86 Religions Before Christianity. 

this great religion, with its sacred traditions of Bud- 
dha's words, its councils and its missions, besides 
many things strangely like the rites of the Roman 
Catholic Church. 

Is it not probable that the Catholic Christians cop- 
ied their monastic institutions, their bells, their rosary, 
their confession, and much else from the Buddhists? 
Buddhism has, with some propriety, been characterized 
by Mr. Clarke as Eastern Protestantism, because it 
accepts nature and her laws, and makes a religion 
of humanity as well as of devotion. Brahmanism is a 
system of sacrifices. Protestantism and Buddhism 
save the soul by teaching. Buddhism in Asia is a 
natural revolt of humanity against caste ; of individual 
freedom against the despotism of an order; of salva- 
tion by faith against salvation by sacraments. In 
Buddhism the Creation and Creator are left out. But 
the Buddhists believe in an intelligent and free obe- 
dience to divine laws. Mr. Hodgson says : '' The 
one infallible diagnostic of Buddhism is a belief in 
the infinite capacity of the human intellect." The 
name Buddha means the Intelligent One, or the one 
who is wide awake. 

DENOMINATIONAL ESTIMATE. 

The following is made up from the estimates by 
Perkins for Johnson's '^American Atlas," 1863: 



Huddhism. 



87 



WHAT MAY BE CALLED CHRISTIANS. 



Protestant, i Catholic. 



Greek. lOther Den's. Total Christ'n 



America. . . .27,738,000 38,759,000, 31,000 
Europe 65,850,000 138,103,000 74,633,300 



Asia. . 
Africa, 



Australia ] 

and [• 

Polynesia. ) 



428,000 7,167,000! 3,000,000 
719,000 1,113,000 5,000 



66,527,000 
278,586,300 
7,853,OOo' 18,448,000 



1,100,000 



280,000 



3,191,000 



5,028,000 
1,380,000 



Total 95,835,000'185,422,000, 77, 669,300 11,044,000 369,969,300 



DENOMINATIONS NOT CALLED CHRISTIANS. 



America. 
Europe. . 

Asia 

Africa. . . 



Australia 

and 
Polynesia 

Total . . 



Mohammedan 



9,823,000 

50,000,000 

100,000,000 



Pagan. 



Jews. 



3,899,000 

666,251,000 
94,972,000 



1,000,000 i 1,220,000 



160,823,000 I 766,342,000 



Some. 

Some. 

6,000,000 



6,000,000 



Total. 



3,899,000 

9,823,000 

722,251,000 

194,972,000 

2,220,000 

933,165,000 



111 all there are 1,000 different religions ; 3,642 
languages. We may estimate 300,000,000 Cauca- 
sians, 552,000,000 Mongols, 190,000,000 Ethiopians, 
176,000,000 Malays, 1,000,000 Indo-Amoricans. Prof. 
Newman estimates the number of Buddhists at 369,- 
000,000; the ''New American Encyclopedia" at 290,- 
000,000, The whole population of the world is from 
1,300,000,000 to 1,400,000,000. 

Denominational estimates have been made by dif- 



88 Religions Before Christianity, 

ferent writers, but we do not know how much they 
can be depended on, as we have no reliable data. 
Mr. Ckrke, in his work entitled " Ten Great Kelig- 
ions," has the following : 

Cunningham, BMlsa Topes, 

' Christians 270,000,000 

Buddhists 223 ** 

Hassel, Penny Cyclopedia, 
Christians 120,000,000 

Jews , 4 ** 

Mohammedans 252 ** 

Bralimans Ill *' 

Buddhists 315 ** 

Johnston, PTiyskal Atlas. 
Christians 301,000,000 

Jews ' 5 '' 

Brahmans 133 ** 

Mohammedans 110 ** 

Buddhists 245 " 

Perkins, Jolinson'*s American Atlas. 

Christians 369,000,000 

Mohammedans 160 *' 

Jews 6 ** 

Buddhists 320 '' 

Buddhism, though expelled from India, and un- 
able to maintain its control over any Aryan race, 
converted to its creed a majority of the Mongol na- 
tions, and, according to the tables just given, embraces 
somewhere about three hundred millions of human 
beings. It is the popular religion of China, the state 
religion of Thibet and of the Birman Empire. It is 



Buddhism, 89 

the religion of Japan, Siam, Anam, Assam, Nepaul, 
Ceylon, and nearly all Eastern Asia. Of this exten- 
sive religion we have had until lately but very lim- 
ited information. There is the best authority for be- 
lieving that Buddhism was the state religion of India 
in the fourth century before Christ. Buddha is not 
a proper name, but a title : as we say Jesus the 
Christ, so Siddartha the Buddha, or Sakya-muni the 
Buddha, or Gautama the Buddha. 

The fundamental doctrine of Buddhism is con- 
tained in the four sublime truths, namely: 

1. "All existence is evil, because all existence is 
subject to change and decay. 

2. " The source of this evil is the desire for things 
which are to change and pass away. 

3. " The desire, and the evil which follows it, are 
not inevitable; for, if we choose, we can arrive at 
Nirvana, where both shall wholly cease. 

4. " There is a fixed and certain method to adopt, 
by pursuing which we attain this end without possibil- 
ity of failure." 

To this way there are eight steps : 

1. "Right belief, or the correct faith. 

2. " Right judgment, or wise application of that 
faith to life. 

3. "Right utterance, or perfect truth in all we 
say and do. 



90 Heligions Before Christianity, 

4. ^' Eight motives, or proposing always a proper 
aid and aim. 

5. " Eight occupation, or outward life not involv- 
ing sin. 

6. " Eight obedience, or faithful observance of 
duty. 

7. '' Eight memory, or a proper recollection of 
past conduct. 

8. " Eight meditation, or keeping the mind fixed 
on permanent truth." 

Then follow certain commands and prohibitions, 
five of which apply to all men, and five to the nov- 
ices, or monks, only. The first five are : ^'1. Do 
not kill. 2. Do not steal. 3. Do not commit adul- 
tery. 4. Do not lie. 5. Do not become intoxicated." 

The other five are : '' 1. Take no solid food after 
noon. 2. Do not visit dances, singing, or theatrical 
representations. 3. Use no ornaments or perfumery 
in dress. 4. Use no luxurious beds. 5. Accept 
neither gold nor silver." 

In reference to these, comments have been made 
almost without number, as they were in after time 
concerning what w^as said and done during the life 
of Jesus, of whom we have so many minute and un- 
important details from Saint Thomas. The monks have 
their Golden Legends and their Lives of Saints, full 
of miracles and marvels. Much of this literature is 
entertaining and instructive. Buddhism has a ration- 



buddhism. 91 

ality and humanity interwoven with it as a system. 
It appeals to human reason, proposing to save, not 
from a future, but from a present, hell. As Buddha 
preached many sermons, so his missionaries went 
forth preaching. The great influence exerted was 
through these sermons. Buddha never used force, 
but made all his appeals in a rational way to human 
understanding. Buddhism was not propagated by 
force : only one religious war happened in which its 
followers took part, during twenty-three centuries. It 
has not been without its superstitions, nor in all re- 
spects free from errors; but it has no prejudices 
against those who profess another faith, nor has it 
maintained any inquisitions. With a zeal that has 
converted kingdoms it has combined full toleration. 

A Buddhist in Ceylon sent his son to a Christian 
school, out of respect to Christianity, not deeming it 
improper to profess both Christianity and Buddhism. 
All men are respected by those of this faith, for it is 
really a religion of humanity. Men of every rank 
can enter its priesthood. It has unbounded charity 
for all souls. Buddhism has abolished human sacrifices 
among the Mongols, and all bloody rites, and its in- 
nocent altars are crowned with flowers and leaves. 

Mr. Malcom, the Baptist missionary, who traveled 
and spent some time in Birmah, speaks of many ex- 
cellent traits of character common to the Birmese, 
and noticed very little in the way of vice or intern- 



92 Heliaions Before Christianity. 

peraiice. lie continues: ^'A man may travel from 
one end of the kingdom to the other without money, 
feeding and lodging as well as the people. I have 
Been thousands together, for hours, on public occa- 
sions, rejoicing in all ardor, and no act of violence 
or case of intoxication. During my whole residence 
in the country I never saw an indecent act or immod- 
est gesture in man or woman. I have seen hundreds 
of men and women bathing, and no immodest or care- 
less act. Children are treated with great kindness, 
not only by their mothers, but also by their fathers. 
A widow with male and female children is more 
likely to be sought in marriage than if she have 
none." 

Saint Hilaire says: "Buddhist morality is one of 
endurance, patience, submission and abstinence, rather 
than action, energy and enterprise. Love for all be- 
ings is its nucleus, every animal being our possible 
relative. To love our enemies, to offer our lives for 
animals, to abstain from even defensive warfare, to 
pay obedience to superiors, to reverence age, to pro- 
vide food and shelter for men and animals, to dig 
wells and plant trees, to despise no religion, show 
no intolerance, not to persecute, are the virtues of the 
people. Polygamy is tolerated, but not approved. 
Monogamy is general in Ceylon, Siam and Birmah; 
somewhat less so in Thibet and Mongolia. Woman 
is better treated by Buddhism than by any other Ori- 



Buddhism. 93 

ental religion." Buddhism lacks the all - important, 
distinctive idea of God ; hence, their devotion, wor- 
ship and prayers are spiritless. The God of Buddhism 
is the Buddha himself, the deified man, who lias be- 
come infinite by entering Nirvana; and to him prayer 
is addressed. Plenty of prayers are made. Prayer- 
meetings are held in the streets of Thibet. Hue says : 
In the evening, just before sundown, all the people 
leave their work and meet in tlie public squares. All 
kneel and chant their prayers in a low, musical tone, 
producing an immense and solemn harmony, deeply 
impressive. 

Thirty-five or more Buddhas preceded Sakya-muni, 
who are conceived to have power to take away sin, 
and are called '^ Buddhas of Confession " ; some la- 
mas are reckoned with them, as Tsonkhapa, born A.D. 
1555. The mendicant priests of Buddha confess at 
every new and full moon. Karraa means the law of 
consequences, and is considered the most essential 
property of all beings, the cause of all good and evil. 
This religious law operates till one reaches Nirvana. 

The following account of '^Nirvana" is taken from 
the Pali Sacred Books: "Again the king of Sagal 
said to Nagasena, ^Is the joy of Nirvana unmixed, 
or is it associated with sorrow?' The priest replied 
that it is unmixed satisfaction, entirely free from sor- 
row. Again the king of Sagal said to Nagasena, ' Is 
Nirvana in the east, west, south, or north? above or 



94 Heligions Before Christianity. 

below ? Is there sucli a place as Nirvana ? If so, 
where is it?' Nagasena : 'Neither in the east, south, 
west, nor north ; neither in the sky above, nor in the 
earth below, nor in any of the infinite sakwalas, is 
there such a place as Nirvana. .. .There is no such 
place as Nirvana, and yet it exists." 

The Buddhist asserts Nirvana to be the object 
of all his hope, yet if you ask him what it is, may 
reply, " Nothing." This cannot mean that the highest 
good of man is annihilation. No pessimism could be 
more extreme than such a doctrine. 

Can men of sound reason say that there is noth- 
ing good in Buddhism; that it has no good effect, 
no restraining influence ; that the prayers of its adher- 
ents do not go up effectually to the Almighty Giver ? 
What mortal being is authorized to tell his neighbor 
what he shall say in his prayer, or to truly tell 
whether or not God accepts it ? Possibly those who 
think they understand the best how and what to ask 
of God, with the expectation of a favorable answer, 
are the least likely to receive it. If there be anything 
among us, lowly mortals, that God detests, it is bigotry. 
A self-righteous feeling Jesus often rebuked. The re- 
ligion of Christianity is good, all good, but all the good 
in the w^orld is not embraced in that alone. God only 
is all wisdom and goodness. Buddhists have one noble 
quality in a high degree — that is, charity. Better it 
would be if all those who claim to be followers of 



Buddhism, 95 

Jesus were, like him, meek and humble, forgiving 
and gentle, loving and kind, not alone toward those 
of their particular faith, but toward all. What a poor 
exhibition those make Avho put up fences around their 
church doors and their altars, virtually sayings " We 
arc God's chosen people; our chmxh door is the gate 
to heaven '' ! As Jesus said to those who w^ere 
puffed up with self-righteous feelings, and made long, 
formal, heartless prayers, so he will say to many who 
have lived since : '' I never knew you ; depart from 
me, ye workers of iniquity." Those who have said 
less and done more shall enter heaven before them. 



CHAPTER YI. 

ANCIENT RELIGIOISr OF PERSIA AKD ZOROASTER 

Zoroaster and the Zend-Avesta, as connected with 
the ancient religion of Persia, have an important re- 
lation to the religious history of the world, and de- 
serve a more extended notice than we have space to 
give. Mr. Clarke speaks of the lovely valley in the 
southwestern part of Persia, in the province of Far- 
sistan, called Schiraz. At one extremity of this val- 
ley, northwest of Schiraz, stands an immense platform, 
fifty feet above the plain, hewn in part out of the 
mountain itself, and partly built up with gray marble 
blocks, from twenty to sixty feet in length, so nicely 
fitted together that the joints can scarcely be detected. 
This platform is about fourteen hundred feet long by 
nine hundred feet broad, and is reached by marble 
steps. In the vicinity are found many inscriptions, 
which all the learning of Europe could not decipher 
for many years. One was read by Grotefend as fol- 



Persia and Zoroaster, 97 

lows : " Darius the King, King of Kings, son of Hys- 
taspes, successor of the Euler of the World, Djem- 
chid." Another, as follows : " Xerxes the Kinsr, Kins* 
of Kings, son of Darius the king, successor of the 
Kuler of the World." The German Orientalist Ben- 
fey deciphered another inscription, as follows : " Ahura- 
Mazda (Ormazd) is a mighty God; who has created 
the earth, the heaven, and men; who has given glory 
to men ; who has made Xerxes king, the ruler of 
many. I, Xerxes, King of Kings, king of the earth 
near and far, son of Darius, an Achsemenid. What 
I have done here, and what I have done elsewhere, 
I have done by the grace of Ahura-Mazda." Diodo- 
rus Siculus says that at Persepolis, on the face of the 
mountain, were the tombs of the kings of Persia, and 
that the coffins had to be lifted up to them, along 
the wall of the rock, by cords. 

Many things point to a great Iranic religion as 
the religion of Persia, centuries before — the religion 
of which Zoroaster was the great prophet, and the 
A vesta the sacred book. Zoroaster was mentioned by 
Plato, about four hundred years before Christ. The 
worship of the Magians is described by Herodotus 
before Plato, and a minute account is given of their 
religious rites B.C. 450. According to Plutarch's ac- 
count of Zoroaster and his precepts, some believed in 
two gods : one the author of good things, the other of 
bad — a god and a demon. Oromazes is said to have 



98 Religions Before Christianity. 

sprung from purest liglit, and Arimanius, on the other 
hand, from pitcliy darkness, and therefore to be con- 
tinually at war with each other. It is said that Oro- 
mazes made six gods : one the author of benevolence, 
one of truth, one of justice, one of wisdom, one of 
wealth, and one of pleasure ; and that ^ Arimanius 
likewise made the like number to confront them. 
After this, Oromazes, having first trebled his own 
magnitude, mounted aloft as far above the sun as the 
sun is above the earth, and studded the firmament 
with stars. 

Anquetil du Perron, born at Paris in 1731, de- 
voted himself early to the study of Oriental literature. 
The French East India Company gave him a passage 
to India in 1755. He returned to Europe with one 
hundred and eighty valuable manuscripts, and pub- 
lished his great work in 1771. His death occurred in 
1805. For many years after the publication of the 
Avesta, its genuineness and authenticity were a mat- 
ter of dispute among the learned men of Europe, Sir 
William Jones especially denying it to be an ancient 
work, or the production of Zoroaster. Mr. Rhode 
says : " There is not the least doubt that these are 
the books ascribed in tlie most ancient times to Zoro- 
aster." Of the Yendidad he says: "It has both the 
inward and outw^ard marks of the highest antiquity, so' 
that we fear not to say that only prejudice or igno- 
rance could doubt it." As to the age of. these books, 



Persia and Zoroaster. 99 

and the period at which Zoroaster lived, there is a 
great difference of opinion. Mr. Clarke thinks the 
date may with propriety jpe fixed at twelve to thir- 
teen centuries B.C., and refers to many authors of 
the highest repute in proof; but, as all know, there 
is great difficulty in fixing dates so remote. Nothing 
is known with certainty of the place where he lived 
or the events of his life. Some writers suppose he 
resided in Bactria. Haug maintains that the language 
of the Zend books is Bactrian. "The language of 
the Avesta," says Max Mueller, "is so much more 
primitive than the inscriptions of Darius, that many, 
centuries must have passed between the two periods 
represented by these two strata of language.'' These 
inscriptions are in the Achsemenian dialect, wliich is 
the Zend in a later stage of linguistic growth. 

Mr. Clodd, who is a few years' later authority 
than Mr. Clarke, says that Zoroaster was the founder 
of an ancient religion in Persia, but that we have 
no trustworthy account of him. " He was probably 
born in Bactria, and his name implies that he became 
one of the priests who attended upon the sacred fire. 
We are sure that he lived more than three thousand 
years ago, because his religion was founded before 
the conquest of Bactria by the Assyrians, which took 
place about twelve hundred years before Christ. It 
has been argued, chiefly from the strong likeness be- 
tween Jewish and Persian legends, that he was a 



100 Religions Before Christianity. 

neighbor of Abraham; but of this the proof is far 
too slender." To him was given the message of one 
who was Lord of all. A/iura, " Spiritual Mighty-One"; 
MazdUy " Creator of All." Ahura-Mazda (corrupted 
into Orinuzd) is thus spoken of in the Zend-Avesta: 
Highest of all, Ahura-Mazda was* said to have below 
him angels who did his bidding. 

Those who clung to the older faith and those who 
adhered to Zoroaster were bitter against each other, 
so that the gods of the Vedic hymns became demons 
in the Zend-Avesta. In that book Indra is an evil 
being; in the Vedic belief Ahura is a demon. 

That Zoroaster believed in one God is generally 
admitted. He, through the Zend-Avesta, expresses 
faith in a good place where the pure and faithful 
find a home after death, and a bad place where the 
wicked are to suffer in the regions of Ahriman. The 
rites and ceremonies adopted into his religion were 
copied in part from the Aryans when together, and 
were mainly the offering of Ilovia and of Ji7^e. 

Mr. Clarke says that, though absolutely nothing is 
known of the events of Zoroaster's life, there is not 
the least doubt of his existence or of his character. 
He has left the impress of his commanding genius on 
great regions^ various races, and long periods of time. 
Like Buddhism, his religion is eminently moral. The 
glaring defects of each, however, as compared with 
Christianity, are too plain to be overlooked. The 



Persia and Zoroaster. 101 

method of salvation, as expounded by Zoroaster, is 
that of an eternal battle for good against evil; ac- 
cording to Buddha, it is that of self-culture and vir- 
tuous activity. 

The religion of the Avesta all centers in Zoroaster 
(or Zarathustra), who in some of the sacred books is 
called the pure Zarathustra. He, alone, it is said, 
knows the precepts of Ahura-Mazda (Ormazd), and 
that he shall be made skillful in speech. Meditation 
led him to conclude that all the woe of the world had 
its root in sin, and that the origin of sin was in the 
demoniac world. 

It is maintained by some that about the period of 
Zoroaster the climate of Northern Asia was changed 
in temperature from that of the tropics to severe cold. 
At some date far back in the past, but probably long 
before Zoroaster, this change beyond a doubt hap- 
pened, but exactly tlirough what agency has not yet 
been satisfactorily explained. The slowly-acting causes 
or the violent convulsion that changed a summer cli- 
mate into the present winter of ten months' duration 
is entirely beyond our comprehension. 

This Aryana-Yaejo, Old Iran, the primeval seat of 
the great Indo-European race, is supposed by Haug 
and Bunsen to be situated on the high plains north- 
east of Samarcand, between the thirty - seventh and 
fortieth degrees of latitude, north, and the eighty-sixth 
and ninetieth of longitude, east. This region has ex- 



102 Religions Before Christianity. 

actly the climate described in the old writings trans- 
lated by Spiegel and Haug — ten months of winter 
and two of summer. The same will apply to Western 
Thibet and nearly all of Central Siberia. Malte-Brun 
says that the winter is nine or ten months long througli- 
out almost the whole of Siberia. June and July are 
the only months entirely free from snow. Geologists 
have calculated that great oscillations of climate oc- 
curred immediately antecedent to the period when 
the earth was peopled by man. In Central and 
^Northern Asia there are traces of such changes at a 
more recent date. 

It is thought that about the time of some great 
convulsion Zoroaster developed his belief in the dual- 
ism of all things, which now has much logical ground 
to rest on, in the opinion of many thinkers. Panthe- 
istic optimism, as it was taught in India, could not 
satisfy his mind. He could not say all that happened 
was right, because he feared evil sometimes prevailed 
over good and the right was made to suffer. The 
world is not rid of this foolish notion, that whatever 
is is right, even now. But, if God and light do not 
hold control over error, where is our safety ? 

To Zoroaster the world was a scene of war, not 
of peace and rest. Life to the good man was not sleep, 
but battle. While he saw a good God presiding over 
all, he also saw a spirit of evil continually rising up 



Persia and Zoroaster. 103 

against God's will and works. In tlie far distance lie 
saw the spirit of good triumphant. 

The Zend-Avesta does not give a system of the- 
ology or philosophy. It is, rather, a liturgy — a col- 
lection of hymns, prayers and invocations. Among 
the deities, Ormazd is always counted supreme. " I 
worship and adore," says Zarathustra (Zoroaster), " the 
Creator of all things, Ahura-Mazda (Ormazd), full of 
light!... I worship the body of the primal Bull, the 
soul of the Bull ! I invoke thee, O Fire, thou son of 
Ormazd, most rapid of the immortals ! I invoke 
Mithra, . . . the pure, the sun, the ruler, the quick Horse, 
the eye of Ormazd ! I invoke the holy Sraosha ! . . . I 
praise the good men and women of the whole world 
of purity ! . . . I praise Sraosha, whom four horses carry, 
spotless, bright-shining, swifter than the storms, who, 
without sleeping, protects the world in the darkness ! " 
Though there is much in the forms found in the 
Avesta that, by our Protestant standard of to-day, 
might be called a waste of words, there is at least 
the form of devotion, and, to those who believe in it, 
there may be a renovating spirit. 

The following is from the Khordah- Avesta : 
" In the name of God, the giver, forgiver, rich in 
love, praise be to the name of Ormazd, the God with 
the name, ^ Who always was, always is, and always 
will be ' ; the heavenly amongst the heavenly, with 
the name ^ From whom alone is derived rule.' " 



101 lieligions Before Christianity. 

" Offering and praise to that Lord, the completer 
of good works, who made men greater than all earthly- 
beings, and, through the gift of speech, created them 
to rule the creatures, as warriors against the Dsevas" 
(or evil spirits). 

" All good do I accept at thy command, O God, 
and think, speak, aiid do it. I believe in the pure 
law ; by every good w^ork seek I the forgiveness 
for all sins." 

"I enter on the shining way to Paradise; may 
the fearful terror of hell not overcome me ! . . .May 
I attain Paradise, w^ith much perfume, and all enjoy- 
ments, and all brightness." 

Confession of sin is not wanting: 

" I repent of all sins. All wicked thoughts, words 
and works which I have meditated in the world, cor- 
poreal, spiritual, earthly and heavenly, I repent of, in 
your presence, ye holiness. O Lord, pardon !". . . 

" I repent of the sins which can lay hold of the 
character of men, or which have laid hold of my 
character, small and great, which are committed amongst 
men ! . . . The sins against father, mother, sister, brother, 
wife, child, against spouses, against the superiors, 
against my own relations, against those living with 
me," etc., etc., embracing almost every sin tliat could 
be named ; so that, if the petition was made in sin- 
cerity, and the power to wdiom the request for pardon 



Persia and Zoroaster. 105 

was addressed had compassion aud ability to forgive, 
there could be no doubt about forgiveness. 

The Avesta consists of the Vendidad, of which 
twenty two Fargards, or chapters, have been preserved; 
the Yispered, in twenty-seven; the Yacna, in sev- 
enty; and the Khorda- Avesta, or Little- Avesta, Avhich 
contains prayers for the use of the laity. The Bunde- 
hesch is a book still later, though running back to an 
early period. It says that Ormazd began the creation 
by bringing forth the Fravashi. Everything which 
has been created, or which is to be created, has its 
Fravashi, which contains the reason and basis of its 
existence. A spiritual and invisible world preceded 
this visible, material world as its prototype. The or- 
der of creation is thus given : " Ormazd first created 
the firm vault of heaven, and the earth on which it 
rests. On the earth he created the high mountain 
Albordj, which soared upward through all the spheres 
of heaven, till it reached the primal light, and Ormazd 
made this summit his abode." The monstrous gnlf, 
the home of Ahriman, was placed beneath the earth. 
Ormazd, who knew that after the first period his 
battle with Ahriman would begin, armed himself, and 
created for his aid the whole shining host of heaven — 
sun, moon and stars — mighty beings of light, wholly 
submissive to him. First he created " the heroic run- 
ner, who never dies — the sun — and made him king 
and ruler of the material world." 



106 Religions Before Christianity. 

When he had completed his preparations in the 
heavens the first four ages drew to an end, and Ahri- 
man saw, from the gloomy depths of his kingdom, 
what Ormazd had done. In opposition to this crea- 
tion of a world of light, Ahriman created a world of 
darkness, a terrible community, equal in number and 
power to the beings of light. Ormazd, knowing all 
the misery that Ahriman would cause, yet knowing 
that the victory would remain with himself, offered 
Ahriman peace : Ahriman chose war ; but, overcome 
by Ormazd, he sank back into the pit of darkness, 
where he was confined for three thousand years. Or- 
mazd now completed his creation upon the earth, and 
the earth, or Hetlira, was mother of all living. Every- 
thing earthly in the world of light of Ormazd had 
its protecting deity. These guardian spirits were 
divided into series and groups; had their captains 
and their associated assistants. 

In the second age Ormazd also produced the great 
primitive Bull, in which, as the representative of the 
animal world, the seeds of all living creatures were 
deposited. 

While Ormazd was completing his creation of 
light, Ahriman, in his dark abyss, was perfecting a 
corresponding creation of darkness, making a corre- 
sponding evil being for every good being created by 
Ormazd. These spirits of night stood in their ranks 



Persia and Zoroaster. 107 

and orders, with their seven presiding evil spirits, or 
Daevas, corresponding to the Arashaspands. 

The vast preparations for this great war being com- 
pleted, and the end of the second ago now coming, 
Ahriman was urged by one of his Daevas to begin 
the conflict. He counted his host; but as he found 
nothing therein to oppose to the Fravashis, he sank 
back in dejection. Finally the second age expired, 
and Ahriman now sprang aloft without fear, for he 
knew his time had come. His host followed him, 
but he alone succeeded in reaching the heavens ; his 
troops remained behind. A shudder ran over him., 
and he sprang from heaven upon the earth in the 
form of a serpent, penetrated to its center, and entered 
into everything he found upon it. He passed into the 
primal Bull, and even into fire, the visible symbol of 
Ormazd, defiling it with smoke and vapor. Then he 
assailed the heavens, and a part of the stars were 
already in his power, and veiled in smoke and mist, 
when he was attacked by Ormazd, aided by the Fra- 
vashis of holy men, and after ninety days and ninety 
nights he was completely defeated, and driven back 
with his troops into the abj^ss Duzahk. But he did 
not remain there, for through the middle of the earth 
he built a way for himself and his companions, and is 
now living on the earth together with Ormazd, accord- 
ing to the decree of the Infinite. 

The destruction by all this war was terrible, but 



108 Religions Before Christianity. 

the evil done resulted in good. The original Bull 
died ; and that, too, was a gain, for the first man, 
Kaiomarts, came out of his right shoulder, and the 
soul of the Bull became the guardian spirit of the 
animal race. Kaiomarts was both man and woman, 
but w4ien he died there came from him the first human 
pair ; a tree grew from his body and bore ten pairs 
of men and women, of whom Meschia and Meschiane 
were the first. They were originally innocent, and 
made for heaven, and worshiped Ormazd as their 
creator. But Ahriman tempted them. They drank 
milk from a goat, and so injured themselves. Then 
Ahriman brought them fruit, they ate it, and lost a 
hundred parts of their happiness. Only one pair 
remained. The woman was the first to sacrifice to 
the Daevas. After fifty years they had two children, 
Siamak and Veschak, and died a hundred years old. 
For their sins they remain in hell until the resurrec- 
tion. 

The human race, which had thus become mortal 
and miserable by the sin of its first parents, assumed 
nevertheless a highly interesting position. The man 
stands in the middle between the two worlds of light 
and darkness, left to his own free will. He is as- 
sailed on every side by Ahriman, but succored by 
Ormazd, who sent him «, revelation of his will by 
Zoroaster. If he obey these precepts he is safe. 
The command is: "Think purely, speak purely, act 



Persia and Zoroaster. 109 

purely." All that comes from Ormazd is pure, from 
Ahriman impure. 

The Fravashis of men originally created by Ormazd 
are preserved in heaven, in Ormazd's realm of light. 
But they must come from heaven to be united with 
a human body, and to go on a path of probation in 
this world, called the Way of the Two Destinies. Those 
who have chosen the good in this world are received 
after death by good spirits, and guided, under the 
protection of the dog Sura, to the bridge Chinevat; 
the wicked are dragged thither by the Daevas. Here 
Ormazd holds a tribunal and decides the fate of souls. 
The good pass the bridge into mansions of the blessed ; 
the bad fall into the gulf of Duzahk, to be tormented. 
Ormazd will clothe anew with flesh the bones of 
men, and relatives and friends will recognize each 
other again. Then comes the great division of the 
just from the sinners. 

When Ahriman shall cause the comet to fall on 
the earth to gratify his destructive propensities, he 
will be really serving the Infinite Being against his 
own will. For the conflagration caused by this comet 
will change the whole earth into a stream like melted 
iron, which will pour impetuously down into the 
realm of Ahriman. All beings must pass through 
this stream : to the righteous it will feel like warm 
milk, and they will pass through to the dwellings of 
the just ; but all the sinners shall be borne along by 



110 Religions Before Christianity. 

the stream into the abyss of Dnzahk. Here they will 
burn three days and nights, tlien, being purified, they 
will invoke Ormazd, and be received into heaven. 

Afterward, Ahriman himself and all in the - Du- 
zakh shall be purified by this fire, and all evil be con- 
sumed, and all darkness banished. 

From the extinct fire there will come a more beau- 
tiful earth, pure and perfect, and destined to be eternal. 

Windischmann, wlio has made a recent transla- 
tion of the Bundehesch, says that a close study of 
this remarkable book and an exact comparison of it 
with some original texts will give great confidence in 
it as having been taken from the original, most of 
which is now lost ; so that the more thoroughly it is 
examined the more trustworthy it will be found. 

The reliability of this old record as that of doc- 
trine promulgated long centuries before the time of 
Moses — from which Moses possibly might have copied 
or compiled the account of Creation — may be depended 
upon with tolerable if not entire confidence ; but that 
the Persian record came from the Old Testament ac- 
count is totally insupposable. 

Many other things are set forth in a way to favor 
the idea that at least portions of the New Testament 
derived their outward form and materials for con- 
struction from various writings, legends and myths in 
existence when the New Testament writings took their 
earliest shape. 



Persia and Zoroaster. Ill 

Having given this brief account of what is known 
as the Parsi' system, in its later development, it cannot 
be claimed as an invention of Zoroaster, nor of any 
one else ; for, as Mr. Clarke says, " Religions are not 
invented : they grow. Even the religion of Moham- 
med grew out of pre-existent beliefs. The founder of 
a religion does not invent it, but gives it form. It 
crystalizes around his own deeper thought. So, in 
the time of Zoroaster, the popular imagination had 
filled nature with powers and presences, given them 
names, and praised them in the heavens." 

Many adopt tlie absurd theory tliat all the ideas 
contained in the New Testament originated during 
our first and second centuries. This is entirely wrong. 
Jesus, with all his apostles, aids, converts and helpers, 
did not make an entirely new religion. But by his 
presence and wonderful powers he infused into old 
truths a vitality and force wholly new. The Bunde- 
hesch, with its elaborate theories, came as a natural 
result from the tendencies of the older portion of the 
Avesta. 

The Zearna-Akerana — in the Vendidad " The In- 
finite Time," or " All-embracing Time " — is the cre- 
ator of Ahriman, according to some translations. 
" Spiegel," says Mr. Clarke, " considers this supreme 
being, above both Ormazd and Ahriman, as not be- 
longing to the original Persian religion, but as bor- 
rowed from Semitic sources. But if so, then Ormazd 



112 Religions Before Christianity. 

is the supreme, uncreated being, and creator of all 
things. Why, then, has Ormazd a Fravashi, or arche- 
type ? And in that case, he must eitlier himself have 
created Ahriman, or else Ahriman is as eternal as 
he, which latter supposition presents ns with an abso- 
lute, irreconcilable dualism." The theory, therefore, 
forces itself upon us that behind the two opposing 
powers, good and evil, the thesis and antithesis of 
moral life, remains the obscure background of orig- 
inal being, the identity of both, from which both have 
proceeded, and into whose abyss both shall return. 
That monotheism and pure dualism are doctrines of 
the Avesta is quite plain. 



CHAPTER VIL 

RELIGION AND SACRED BOOKS OP EGYPT. 

The country known as Egypt, though of limited 
extent (about seven miles in width), derived much 
importance from being watered by the Nile. If not 
the earliest, it was among the earliest of inkabited 
and civilized portions of the globe. Several cities of 
large wealth and commercial importance were located 
along the banks of this ancient river. Science and 
religious culture found a home here. Some of the 
public works and monuments have no rival in mag- 
nificence. In its highest state of prosperity the people 
numbered seven millions. It was a world's university, 
where Pythagoras, Herodotus, Plato, and other emi- 
nent men went as students. At an early time they 
had a tolerable knowledge of astronomy, geometry, 
music, medicine, anatomy, architecture, agriculture, 
and mining. Looking back five thousand years, we 
find Menes, a great warrior and scholar, king of this 



114: Heligions Before Chrhtlanity. 

miglity nation. History speaks of him as the builder 
of Memphis, where he studied the wisdom of the gods 
and wrote books. This nation was not idle durincr 
the Tliinite dynasties of several centuries, and the 
five dynasties of the Memphite kings, down to the 
time of the Hyksos, or shepherd kings. 

We have the authoritv of Mr. Clarke, as well as 
of many others, for saying that ancient Egypt has 
been an object of deep interest to the whole civilized 
world in all ages, and more especially to the Chris- 
tian part. Thither it was that Abraham journeyed, 
and subsequently Jacob followed his son Joseph, who 
had become one of the chief men of the nation. There 
it was that the Hebrews increased in number from 
seventy to two millions, as most historians say. There 
Moses was found by Pharaoli's daughter floating near 
the Nilotic shore in an ark of bulrushes, from whence 
he WAS taken by her, and educated in all the learn- 
ing of the Eg3^ptians. In the course of events, Moses 
journeyed to Midian, and in due time returned to 
Egypt, by the supposed command of God, to deliver 
his Hebrew brethren from the bondage they wers 
under to the Egyptians. 

Among the evidences of Egyptian enterprise and 
skill of ancient date may be mentioned the erection 
of pyramids, temples, and monuments, requiring not 
only genius, but concentration of labor and persistent 
toil. The great pyramid of Cheops was built in the 



Religion and Sacred BooTcs of Egypt, 115 

midst of the plain. For its erection vast blocks of 
Btone were transported from the upper Nile, and laid 
into a pyramid covering more than thirteen acres and 
rising to a height of nearly five hundred feet. This 
pyramid is nearly solid, and constructed over a huge 
mound; A passage-way leads to the inner portion, in 
which are several rooms, at least one of which is sup- 
posed to have been a burial-place. Near this pyramid 
stand two others of about the same size, and many 
smaller ones at no very great distance. Not far from 
these is the famous Sphinx, hewn from solid rock, the 
proportions of which are truly colossal, it being one 
hundred and eighty feet long. Modern man is not 
able to move a block so ponderous. The statue of 
Kameses II still remains at Memphis. It is eighteen 
feet across the shoulders. The date of the founda- 
tion of Thebes is buried in the past. In the time of 
Menes, fifty centuries ago, it was in existence as a 
city; how long before that is not known. On the 
eastern bank of the river still stands the temple El- 
Karnak. Thothmes II carried his conquering armies 
into Mesopotamia, brought back the spoil of nations, 
and commemorated his deeds on the walls of Karnak. 
Half a mile from Karnak were two obelisks of red 
granite, upon the apex of each of which were engraved 
hicroglj^phic writings telling of Rameses II, the Se- 
sostris of classic times. Within is an avenue of four- 
teen columns sixty feet high, with capitals on which 



116 Religions Before Christianity. 

are sculptured bell -shaped flowers of the papyrus. 
The great Hypostyle hall in the temple El-Karnak is 
the most imposing and extensive in Egypt, or in the 
world. In length it is 175 feet, in width 329 feet. 
It is supported by 134 columns, some of which rise 
to the height of 75 feet and are 36 feet in circumfer- 
ence. In Eamesium, on the edge of the desert, a 
statue hewn out of a solid rock of red granite, esti- 
mated to weigh nine hundred tons, was in some way, 
to us now unknown, transported from its bed in the 
quarries of Syene, and placed in the courts of the 
temple. These temples were approached by Dromos, 
or paved walks, of great length. 

As far back as history reaches, the Egyptians had 
a religion and a well-developed mythology. The reign 
of Menes began after the reign of the gods was ended. 
Manetho computes a time of twenty -four thousand 
nine hundred years, of which the gods ruled thirteen 
thousand nine hundred. Then came the dominion of 
the heroes, or demi-gods. 

No attempt will here be made to unravel legends 
or to make mysteries clear, but we find that for five 
thousand years they believed in a series of gods de- 
pending on one another. They believed in three or- 
ders of gods. There were eight of the first order: 

1. Ammon, the Concealed God — the god of 
Thebes. 



Heligion and Sacred Boohs of Egypt. 117 

2. Kliem, the husband of Ammon's mother — the 
generative god of Nature — the god of Panopolis. 

3. Mut, the Mother-Goddess, and temple consort 
of Khem. 

4. Num, the ram-headed god of the Thebaid. 

5. Seti, or Sate, the consort of Kneph. 

6. Pthah — the god of Memphis — the Creator of 
the World, sprung from an egg, which came from the 
mouth of Kneph. 

7. Net, or Neith, the goddess of Sais (without de- 
scent: "I came from myself"). 

8. Ea, or Helios, tlie god of Heliopolis, or On, in 
the Delta. 

There were also twelve gods of the second order 
and seven of the third, and they were represented in 
sculpture with a beard hanging from the chin, and 
the common hieroglyphic sign of an egg or of a snake 
was attached to all of them. 

Ammon, or Ammon-Ra, is the chief king of the 
gods, corresponding with Zeus of the Greeks. Osiris 
and Isis seem to have prevailed from the beginning, 
to pervade the whole mythology, and to have been 
worshiped throughout all Egypt. 

According to Plutarch, Apis, the sacred bull of 
Memphis, was considered the image of the soul of 
the god Osiris, and on that account the two names 
were joined. Osiris also represented the living sun. 



118 Religions Before Christianity. 

His enemy was Typhon, who at tlie autumnal equinox 
overcame him. 

A singular myth was current in Egypt which may 
be regarded with interest. It is that Osiris was killed 
by his brother Typhon (the incarnation of evil), his body 
cut in pieces and strewn over the earth ; that in due 
time they gathered themselves together and were re- 
united, and then Osiris was resurrected from the dead, 
and reigned forever. Thus it seems the doctrine of a 
resurrection and an unending life thereafter is older 
than the Hebrew race, and as firmly believed by some 
of the prehistoric nations as by Christians in our age. 

Ammon was by the Egyptians conceived not only 
to be king of all the gods, but their god especially. 
Like the Israelites, who most likely copied from the 
Egyptians, they claimed a powerful deity, who at all 
times supported them as his particular and chosen 
yjeople. Nor were the Egyptians, any more than 
the Israelites, without a priesthood. The priests of 
the former, as well as of the latter, were supposed 
to hold intercourse with God. They had their Holi- 
est of Holies, into which none but the priests w^ere 
allowed to enter, and where they alone could hear 
the voice of God. 

Belief in a future life was general with this nation, 
also in a Day of Judgment, and in a system of re- 
wards and punishments. Their sacred writings not 
only show this, but the sculpture on their temples. 



Religion and Sacred Boohs of Egypt. 119 

and their estimation of good and bad acts as repre- 
sented by the figure of a b^^lance. 

Their belief was that the good only would be ad- 
mitted to the presence of their god Osiris. The prac- 
tice of embalming may have grown out of their faith 
in a future life. 

In regard to the theology of Egypt the most 
important information is obtained from the monu- 
ments, which contain the names and the tablets of 
the gods of the three orders. Then came the sacred 
books of the Egyptians, made known to us by Clem- 
ens Alexandrinus, which were numerous, writing hav- 
ing become common among them as early as the 
dynasty of Menes. The sacred books of Hermes were: 

1. The two books containing sacred songs and 
hymns in honor of the gods, and also in praise of 
their ancient kin^rs. 

2. The astronomical books, of the Horoscopus, 
which treated of the system of the fixed stars, the 
eolar and lunar conjunction, tlie phases of the moon, 
the risings of the sun, moon, and stars. 

3. The ten books of the Hierogrammatist, the 
books of the sacred scribe, which treated of the hiero- 
glyphic art, and of the rudiments of writing, of cos- 
mogony and geography ; of the S3^stem of the sun and 
moon and the five planets; of the 'chorography of 
Egypt; of the delineation of the course of the Nile 
within the limits of the Egyptian territory ; and of a 



120 Heligions Before Christianity. 

general survey of Egypt, with a description, or inven- 
tory, of each temple, of its landed property, of its 
weights, measures, and utensils. 

4. The ten ceremonial books of the Stalistes; these 
were devoted principally to religious worship, and 
contained "ordinances as to the first-fruits, the sacri- 
ficial stamp " ; regulations concerning hymns, prayers, 
festal processions, and ceremonies in honor of the 
dead. 

5. Ten books of the prophets. These were purely 
sacerdotal, and intrusted to the care of the prophets, 
or the first order of priests immediately following the 
high-priests of the temples. They treated of the entire 
education of the priests. They included the apportion- 
ment and collection of taxes, their mythology, and 
the laws connected with their religious rites and the 
duties of the priesthood, which was the really privi- 
leged class. It assumed to speak with the voice of 
God, and the recognition and consecration of the king 
was one of their solemn duties. Into this class the 
sovereign must be admitted, if he were not a priest 
already. 

Of the sacred Hermaic books, one, which is prob- 
ably as interesting as any of them, is still extant, 
dating fifteen to sixteen hundred years before Christ. 

Beside these, Diodones tells us they had books of 
the civil laws. The "Book of the Dead," in manu- 
script, has been brought to light recently. It is writ- 



Religion and Sacred BooTcs of Egypt, 121 

ten in hieroglyphic characters, and treats of the cere- 
monies in honor of the dead, and of the transmigra- 
tion of souls. 

A papyrus is said to lie in the museum at Turin 
which Lepsius has carefully examined. It contains 
a history of the adventures of a soul. Lepsius says it 
furnishes the only example of a great Egyptian lit- 
erary work transmitted from the old Pharaonic times. 
A compilation made at various times, probably in va- 
rious parts of Egypt, the original plan unquestionably 
belonging to the remotest age, it, doubtless, like other 
sacred books, was ascribed to Hermes or to Thoth. 
The figurative authorship is no invention of later 
times, for in the text of the work itself mention re- 
peatedly occurs of the book, as well as of the book of 
Thoth. In the vignette to chapter xliv the deceased 
himself is offering to Thoth the Hermetic book to 
which these allusions apply. 

By this brief reference to an ancient nation, we 
find that, if natural darkness occasionally covered that 
part of the earth, they had a fair supply of intellectual 
light. 

Before the first beams of Christianity broke upon 
the world, the spirit of tolerance appeared at Alexan- 
dria, in Egypt, B.C. 356. The founder of this great 
city, who gave it a name, is more entitled to be called 
great for his acts of toleration than for all the con- 
quests he made in Egypt or elscvvhere. On account 



122 Heligions Before Christianity. 

of the liberal policy he pursued, a general movement 
took place to a spot so desirable, and at that time so 
congenial. There the religion of every caste and na- 
tion was secure from assault. Great numbers came 
from places far and near. Thither flocked the great 
and the good, the learned and the simple, who loved 
religious freedom. There each could offer to the 
powers of heaven such prayers and perform such ob- 
lations as seemed to them most proper. It was a 
bright page in the world's history. To this beauti- 
ful oasis in the moral world came prophets, judges 
and doctors; the princes of On, Memphis and Thebes 
honoring it with their presence. 

According to what Mr. Clarke saj^s, derived from 
the authority, of Bunsen and others, the Egyptians 
w^ere of all men the most particular in their worship 
of the gods. The origin of much of the theology, 
mythology and ceremonies of the Hebrews and Greeks 
was in Egypt ; and the names of almost all the gods 
came from Egypt into Greece. The Greek oracles, 
especially that of Dodona, were brought from Egypt. 
Moreover, the Egyptians were the first who introduced 
public festivals and solemn supplications, which the 
Greeks learned of them. They invented the calendar, 
and connected astrology therewith. Each month and 
daj^, says Herodotus, is assigned to some particular 
god ; and each person's birthday determines his fate. 
The Egyptians were the first to say the soul of man 



jReligion and Sacred Books of Egypt. 123 

was immortal ; that when the body dies the soul trans- 
migrates through every variety of animal. Osiris, 
the judge, is mentioned in tombs erected two thousand 
years B.C. Bunsen tells us that the names of all the 
great gods of Egypt are on the oldest monuments; 
that in the earlier part of the empire of Menes, on 
their first appearance in history, the Egyptians pos- 
sessed an established mythology and a series of gods. 
M. Maury says that everj^thing took the st^-mp ot 
religion. Their writings were full of sacred symbols; 
literature and science were only branches of theology ; 
art labored in the service of worship to glorify the 
gods. Religious observances were so numerous that 
those in the common walks of life were scarcely able 
to perform them. Worship was the great business, 
and the future fate was constantly brought to mind. 
Religion became almost a fixed part of the physical 
organization ; an instinct transmitted with the blood. 
Of all polytheisms it offered the most obstinate re- 
sistance to Christianity. The numerous Egyptian 
feasts were well attended. Every temple had its own 
particular priests. The priests were of various grades: 
chief- priests, pontiffs, and others of inferior rank. 
Priests were exempt from taxes; they paid great atten- 
tion to diet, as to quantity and quality of food. Swine's 
flesh was in particular forbidden. They bathed twice 
a day and twice in the night; shaved the head and 
body every three days. They offered prayers for the 



124: Heligions Before Christianity. 

dead. Their dress was a loose linen robe worn over 
common garments. Sacrifices were made of oxen and 
other animals, from w^hich the Hebrews first obtained 
the idea. Shrines were carried in processions, over- 
shadowed by the wings of the Goddess of Truth, much 
in tlie same way as the Jews carried the ark, and with 
the same veneration. The Egyptian prophets were 
the most highly honored of the priestly order. They 
studied the ten hieratical books ; liad only one wife ; 
were circumcised like other Egyptians, as w^ere also 
the Israelites after them ; their lives were full of 
constant action, of duties and restrictions. The latter, 
therefore, did not, as many suppose, originate the prac- 
tice of circumcision. They copied ic from the Egyp- 
tians, along with many rites and ceremonies of which 
the Hebrews knew nothing before they came to Egypt 
as visitors, or to reside at the time of the famine. 
They came to Egypt ignorant, and ready to adopt, in 
part at least, the religion of their new home. 

Before Swedenborg came, no theology ever indoc- 
trinated an immortality as well-defined as tliat of the 
Egyptians. The Greek and Roman hereafter was 
shadowy and vague ; that of Buddhism remote ; the 
Hebrew Beyond was wholly eclipsed by the sense of 
a divine presence and power immanent in time and 
space. 

The doctrine of the immortality of the soul, Mr. 
Birch says, is as old as the inscriptions of the twelfth 



lieligion and Sacred Books of Egypt. 125 

dynasty, many of which contain extracts from tlie 
Ritual of the Dead. One hundred and forty-six chap- 
ters were translated by him from the text of the Turin 
papyrus, the most complete in Europe. This Ritual 
is all that remains of the Hermetic Books, which con- 
stituted the library of the priesthood. In it antago- 
nistic deities are represented as contending for the 
soul of the deceased. At the final judgment some 
forty-two deities are said to be present to feed on 
the blood of the wicked. At this great judgment 
all deny, in full detail, that they have sinned or neg- 
lected duty, declaring that they have not denied the 
truth nor God, but have loved God, given bread to 
the hungry and garments to the na-ked. 

Funeral ceremonies were imposing. After seventy 
days of mourning, the body was ferried across the 
lake in front of the temple, to represent the passage 
of the soul over the infernal stream. Then came a 
dramatic representation of the trial of the soul before 
Osiris. Intercessors plead for him. A pair of scales 
was set up; in one side his conduct was placed in a bot- 
tle, in the other the image of truth. These proceedings 
are represented on the funeral papyri. One of these, 
twenty-two feet in length, Mr. Clarke says, is in Dr. 
Abbott's collection of Egyptian antiquities, in New 
York. It is beautifully written, and illustrated with 
careful drawings, one of which represents the Hall of 
the Two Truths, and Osiris sitting in judgment, with 



126 Heligions Before Christianity. 

the scales of judgment before liim. By tins we see 
that the idea of a Judgment is not only older than 
Christianity, but far older than the Hebrew or the 
Jewish name. Brugsch says that a thousand voices 
from the tombs of Egypt show that the claims they 
set up for self-justification include many of the Chris- 
tian virtues which Christians are wont to think to 
belong to them only; such as, "He loved his father, 
he honored his mother, he loved his brethren, and 
never went from home in bad temper ; he never pre- 
ferred the great man to the low one." Another in- 
scription says : " I was a wise man ; my soul loved 
God." An inscription at Sais, on a priest who lived 
in the sad days of Cambyses, says: "I honored my 
father, I esteemed my mother, I loved my brothers." 
It should not be forgotten that the history of 
Egypt extends far back in the past. The priests of 
Egypt told Herodotus that there were three hundred 
and thirty- one kings from Menes to Meoris, w^iose 
names they read out of a book. After him came 
eleven others, of whom Sethos was the last. From 
Osiris to Amasis they counted fifteen thousand years. 
This would make the time of Menes about B.C. 9150. 
The history of Egypt is divided into three periods: 
that of the old, the middle, and the new monarchy. 
The first extends from the foundation of the united 
kingdom of Menes to the conquest of the country by 
the Hyksos ; the second from that conquest till th-e 



Religion and Sacred Books of Egypt. 127 

expulsion of the Hjksos; the third from the re-estab- 
lishment of the monarchy by Amasis to the final con- 
quest by Persia. 

According to Dr. Brugsch, the Israelites were 
slaves in Egypt in the fourteenth century B.C., which 
was in the reign of Barneses II. This goes far toward 
establishing a synchronism between Jewish and Egyp- 
tian history, and to warrant the belief that the Israel- 
ites left Egypt somewhere about 1491 B.C. 

There is a papyrus in the imperial library at Paris, 
which M. Chabas considers the oldest book in the 
world. It is an autograph manuscript written B.C. 
2200, or four thousand years ago, by one who calls 
himself the son of a king. It contains practical phil- 
osophy like that of Solomon in his proverbs, and is 
BO much like the proverbs that there is ground for 
thinking one was copied from the other — at least in 
part. Mr. Clarke says it is a question how much of 
the doctrine and ritualism of the Hebrews was taken 
from that of Egypt. It is evident enough that Chris- 
tianity adopted some of the heathen customs. The . 
rite of circumcision was certainly copied by the Jews 
from the Egyptians. Dr. Livingstone found this rite 
in existence among the tribes south of Zambesi, and 
thinks it cannot be traced to any Mohammedan source. 
It still exists in Ethiopia and Abyssinia. "Wilkinson 
affirms it to have been *^ as early as the fourth dynasty, 
* probably earlier ; or long before the time of Abra- 



128 Religions Before Christianity. 

liam." It may have been a sign of the dedication of 
the generative powers to the service of God, and the 
first step out of the untamed license of passion. A 
great deal of similarity might be pointed out between 
Egyptian and Jewish practices. The Egyptians had in 
their temples a special sanctuary more holy than the 
rest, and so had the Jews. The Egyptians had their 
scapegoat, and so had the Jews. The use of a ring in 
the ceremony of a wedding was, according to Clemens, 
a custom derived from Egypt. Four principal doc- 
trines are said by Mr. Samuel Sharpe to be common 
to Egyptian mythology and orthodox Christianity: 

1. That the creation and government of the world 
is not the work of one being, but of one God made up 
of several persons. This is the doctrine of plural unity. 

2. That salvation cannot be expected from the jus- 
tice or mercy of the Supreme Judge unless an atoning 
sacrifice is made to* him by a divine being. 

3. That among the persons who compose the god- 
head, one, though a god, could yet suffer pain, and be 

, put to death. 

4. That a god, or being half god and half man, 
once lived on earth, born of an earthly mother, but 
without an earthly father. 

The gods of Egypt appear mostly in triads ; some- 
times as three gods in one. The triad of Thebes con- 
sisted of Ammon-Ra, Athor, and Chouso; or, father, 
mother, and son. 



Religion and Sacred Books of Egyjpt. 129 

There were other groups: Isis, Nephtliys, and 
Horus ; Isis, Nephthys, and Osiris ; Osiris, Athor, and 
Ea. In later times Horus became the supreme being, 
and appeared united with Ea and Osiris in one figure, 
holding the two scepters of Osiris with the hawk's 
head of Horus and the sun of Ea. The painters of 
Eome made large gains by painting the goddess Isis 
as the Madonna of Egypt, which, being imported into 
Italy, became very popular there. 

It appears that the doctrine of the Trinity and 
that of the Atonement began to take shape in Egypt 
long before the dawn of Christianity, and the Trinity 
was symbolized to the Egyptian mind. According to 
Plutarch, they worshiped Osiris, Isis, and Horus under 
the form of a triangle, and considered that everything 
which w^as perfect had three parts ; hence the good 
god had three parts, while the god of evil remained 
single. 

Egypt not only exercised a powerful influence over 
the religion of Eome, but over Christianity also. Alex- 
andria was the great center of profound religious spec- 
ulations in the first centuries. There the doctrine was 
maintained that God had revealed himself to all na- 
tions by his Logos, or Word. The influence of this 
Alexandrian thought became widespread, from tlie 
high culture w^hich prevailed there, and from the book- 
trade carried on in this growing Egyptian city, where 
all the oldest manuscripts of the Bible were tran- 



130 Religions Before Christianity. 

scribed. As the Egyptian mind naturally left its im- 
press on Judaism, so it did on Christianity. 

Traces of Egyptian speculations are visible not 
only in the Church doctrines of the Trinity and Atone- 
ment, but in the idea of a material resurrection. Egyp- 
tian asceticism is also found in the history of Christian 
monasticism. Looking fully at the large amount the 
Hebrews and Christians borrowed from the Egyptian 
and other earlier nations, we are astonished. Not that 
anything is less valuable because it was borrowed, 
but what so many Christians feel sure was specially 
revealed to the well-informed Jews, or the devout fol- 
lowers of Jesus, had been promulgated thousands of 
years before, in substance, if not in the same words, 
concerning God, Satan, the angels and devils, heaven 
and hell, the judgment and the resurrection. The 
Egyptian religion was strictly ethnic ; it never attempt- 
ing to spread itself beyond the borders of the Nile 
until after the Roman conquest. The worship of the Di- 
vine in Nature, the sentiment of wonder before the great 
mystery of the world, and the feeling that Duty is in 
all life, in all form, in all change, as well as in what 
is permanent, was the great element, the most original 
part, of Egyptian religion. 

We are reminded of the great changes that have 
been going on, and will continue to go on, when we 
consider that the vast range of Egyptian wisdom has 
nearly disappeared ; for it was a religion of the priests, 



Religion and Sacred Books of Egypt. 131 

who were not willing to communicate freely to the 
people, but, like many priests in Christian lands, set 
themselves up as superior in ability, and as having a 
knowledge of God's will and purposes to which the 
common people could not attain. Although much 
good may be done by priests, priestcraft, like most 
other craft, carries in itself the principle of death. 
Truth only is immortal — plain, open, frank, manly 
truth. 



CHAPTEK VIIL 

THE GODS AND RELIGION OF GREECE. 

Considering the interest that has been and still 
is felt in the small but famous country called Greece, 
or Hellas, something ought to be said about its gods 
and religion. It makes but little show on the map of 
Europe, but no other country was ever so well situated, 
for development, or has had a more brilliant career. 
The climate is remarkably good, quite free from the 
excesses of heat and cold, dryness and moisture; both 
healthful and w^ell suited to the growth of many im- 
portant and necessary productions of its soil. 

Thorough examination shows plainly that the Greeks 
emigrated from Asia, and that they brought with them 
oxen, cows, horses, dogs, swine, goats and geese ; that 
they knew the use of metals, and lived in houses. 
The original abode of the race was in Bactria, where 
they were gradually broken up by emigration — not 
later than four thousand years before our era — and 



The Gods and lieligion of Greece, 133 

from whence came also the Hindus, the Persians, 
the Latins, the Celts, the Teutonic tribes, and the 
Slavi. 

The Hellenic tribes, about the first of the seventh 
century B.C., were known under four heads, or groups 
— the Achaians, Cohans, Dorians, and lonians, with 
other tribes more or less connected; but another race 
had preceded them, known as Pelasgians. 

Greek writers bear testimony to the early Egyp- 
tian influence on their country and its religion. M. 
Maury also admits this influence on the worship and 
ceremonies of Greece, and thinks it gave their religion 
a more serious tone. 

Greek religion is unlike all others on account of 
the human character of its gods. The gods of Greece 
are idealized men and women, on a larger scale, but 
Btill human. " The gods of Greece," Mr. Clarke says, 
^' are persons, warm with life, radiant with beauty, 
having their human adventures, wars, and loves .... 
If we suppose a number of human beings, young and 
healthy and perfectly organized, to be gifted with an 
immortal life and miraculous endowments of strength, 
wisdom, and beauty, we shall have the gods of Olym- 
pus." The Greeks by their religion are not trying to 
save their souls ; they are intent on having a good 
time. They live for fighting, feasting, and making 
love. The Greek religion, unlike many others, had no 
great founder, no restorer, no priestly caste, no sacred 



134: Religions Before Christianity. 

books, no Avesta, no Vedas. In Greece, kings and 
generals, with the common people, offer prayers and 
sacrifices, as well as the priests. Their religion was 
moderate in restraints ; their gods did not come down 
from above, but came up from below. They did not 
emanate, they evolved. They made their gods to suit 
themselves, and regarded them as companions rather 
than as objects of reverence. The gods lived near to 
them, on Olympus, a mountain snow-capped even in 
July. They had a most delicious religion, without 
asceticism, austerity, or terror ; a religion filled with 
forms of beauty, with gods who were never stern, sel- 
dom jealous or cruel. It was a heaven near at hand. 
The Greek religion did not guide ; it scarcely re- 
strained. Their Book of Genesis, the Theogony of 
Hesiod, gives the history of three generations of dei- 
ties : first, the Uranids • second, the Titans ; third, the 
gods of Olympus. 

According to Hesiod, first of all was Chaos. Next, 
broad-bosomed Earth, or Gaia. Then was Tartarus, 
dark and dim, below the earth. Next appeared Eros, 
or Love, most beautiful among the immortals. From 
Chaos came Erebus and black Night, and then sprung 
forth ^ther and Day, children of Erebus and Night. 

Pictet has inferred that the original Aryan tribes 
worshiped the Heaven, the Earth, the Sun, Fire, 
Water, and Wind. The oldest hymns in the Vedas 
mark the second development of the Aryan deities 



The Gods and Religion of Greece. 135 

in India. The chief gods of this period are Indra, 
Yaruna, Agni, Savitri, and Soma. Indra is the god 
of the air, directing the storm, the lightning, the 
clouds, and the rain ; Yaruna is the all-embracing cir- 
cle of the heavens, earth, and sea; Savitri, or Surja, 
is the Sun, King of Day, also called Mitra; Agni is 
Fire; and Soma is the sacred fermented juice of the 
moon-plant — often, indeed, the moon itself. 

Herodotus says that Hesiod and Homer lived four 
hundred years before his time, and framed a theogony 
for the Greeks, gave names to the gods, assigned them 
honors and acts, and declared their several forms. 
But the poets, said to be before them, in his opinion 
were after them. In Homer, the gods are very human, 
with few traits of divinity or of dignity. As a family, 
they live together on Mount Olympus, feasting, talk- 
ing, making love, deceiving each other, angry, and 
reconciled. So, in tlie Iliad, they are at their feasts, 
with Yulcan pouring out nectar for them all and hand- 
ing each the cup. Above all these gods there exists 
a mightier power, a dark Fate, an irresistible Neces- 
sity. 

Pindar, the Theban, born B.C. 494, in the time of 
the conquests of Darius, composed one of his Pythian 
odes in the year of the battle of Marathon. He taught 
the doctrine of a divine retribution, that the bitterest 
end awaits the pleasure that is contrary to right. He 
declared that law was the ruler of gods and men. 



136 Heligions Before Christianity. 

One or two centuries before this, Callinus made re- 
ligion to consist of patriotism. 

In the third century B.C. we have much from 
the poets truly monotheistic as well as devout. Though 
the tendency is strongly polytheistic and anthropomor- 
phic, there yet existed a faith in one supreme God, 
ruler of all things. The poets, iu giving a human 
character to the gods, never quite forgot their origin 
as powers of nature. Jupiter Olympus is still the 
god of the sky, the thunderer. Neptune is the ruler 
of the ocean, the earth-shaker. Phoebus- Apollo is the 
sun-god. Artemis is the moonlight, chaste, pure, and 
cold. 

The Olympic games were celebrated at the temple 
at Olympia by the united Hellenic race, and occurred 
every fifth year, lasting five days, calling together all 
Greece. These were to the Greeks, says Mr. Clarke, 
what the Passover was to the Jews, blending divine 
worship and human joy. They formed a chronology. 
Epochs w^ere reckoned from them. The first Olym- 
piad was seven hundred and seventy-six years B.C. 
A large part of our ancient chronology depends on 
these festivals. 

Over the gathering, at this festival, within a Doric 
temple sixty- eight feet high, ninety- five wide, and 
two hundred and thirty long, covered with sculptures 
of Pentelio marble, the great Jupiter of Phidias pre- 
sided. The god was seated on his throne, made of 



The Gods and Religion of Greece, 137 

gold, ebony, and ivory, studded with precious stones, 
and so colossal that, though seated, his head nearly 
reached the roof. 

There arose, five or six centuries B.C., a school of 
philosophers in Greece, a superior order of educated 
men, deep, solid thinkers ; and, though they did not 
all entertain exactly the same opinions, they had ideas 
largely in advance of the Greek mind generally, and 
of that of other portions of the world. Their thoughts 
w^ere turned to the truly sublime, to the beginning of 
things. From this point all grasping minds desire to 
start. They crave a base line upon which other lines 
may rest. They want material before starting to build ; 
solid ground for standing. There is too much ephem- 
eral thinking ; too much studying results without look- 
ing to causes ; building up one-sided theories ; hewing 
out broken cisterns that can hold no water ; too much 
narrowness of vision. That great master of thought, 
Plato, did much to harmonize idealism and reahsm. 
"What the philosophers of Plato's time were trying to 
find was a central unity underlying outward phenom- 
ena. Thales (B.C. 600) said it was water. Anaximan- 
der, his disciple, called it chaotic matter, containing 
in itself a motive -power for successive creations and 
destructions. Heraclitus of Ephesus (B.C. 500) said 
it w^as fire — not physical fire, but the principle of 
antagonism. Thales was not a materialist, for he said: 
" Of all things, the oldest is God ; the most beautiful 



138 lieligions Before Christianity. 

is the world ; the swiftest is thought ; the wisest is 
time." He taught, also, that there was a divine 
power in all things. Anaxagoras (B.C. 494) distin- 
guished God from the world, mind from matter. 

To say that Pythagoras, Xcnophanes, and other 
great scholars born about B.C. 600, did not aid in 
opening the way for greater light, that they were not 
feeling after God that the breaking light of that time 
was not the early dawn of tlie Christian day which 
came with Jesus of Nazareth, would be unfair, unjust. 

Parmenides, a scholar ^nd successor of Xenophanes, 
at Elea, taught that God, as pure thought, pervaded 
all nature. Empedocles (about B.C. 460) followed 
Xenophanes, and, though he introduced dualism into 
his physics, was a monotheist, declaring God to be 
the Absolute Being. His idea of an infinite God is 
quite distinct. Socrates was another great light, radi- 
ating from the Great Source — the Brightest Beam. He 
first taught the science of ethics and the doctrine of 
divine providence, and declared that we could onlj 
know God through his works. The basis of religion 
he called humanity, and proclaimed the well-being of 
man to be the end of the universe. He regarded the 
inferior deities as we regard angels, saints, and proph- 
ets. Mr. Clarke says : ^' Socrates took his intellectual 
departure from man, and inferred nature and God. 
Plato assumed God and inferred nature and man. He 
made goodness and nature godlike, by making God 



The Gods and Religion of Greece. 139 

the substance in each. His was a divine philosophy, 
since he referred all facts, tlieoretically and practically, 
to God as the ground of tlieir being. The style of 
Plato combined analysis and synthesis, exact definition 
with poetic life. His magnificent intellect aimed at 
uniting precision in details with universal coniprehen- 
Bion." Plato was a strict transcendentalist. He says 
the life and essence of all things is from God, and his 
idea of God is of the purest and highest kind. God 
is spirit, the supreme, real being, the creator of all 
things, his providence over all events. 

Plato avoids pantheism, on the one side, by making 
God a distinct personal, intelligent w^ill ; and polythe- 
ism, on the other, by making him absolute. Plato's 
theology is therefore pure theism. Ackerman says: 
The Platonic theology is strikingly near that of the 
Christian in regard to God's being, name, and attri- 
butes. It argues the existence of God from the move- 
ments of nature, and the necessity of an original prin- 
ciple of motion. But the real Platonic faith in God, 
like that of the Bible, rests on immediate knowledge. 
As to the essence of God, Plato gives no definition, 
but says : " To find the Maker and Father of this All 
is hard, and having found him it is impossible to utter 
him.'^ The idea of Goodness, Plato says, is the best 
expression. The idea of God was the object and aim 
of his whole philosophy, so he calls God the Begin- 
ning and End. The Sun is the image of the Good 



140 lieligioiis Before Christianity. 

Being. In the same way tlie Scriptures speak of the 
Father of h'ght. So Aristotle declared that ''since 
God is the ground of all being, the first philosophy is 
theology." Plato said that no one who did not first 
look at divine things could understand human things. 
There is abundant evidence that Plato was a mono- 
theist, and that in speaking of gods in the plural he 
was only using the common form of speech. The 
Bible speaks of the God of gods. 

More especially during the last centuries we hear 
much said about a cold philosophy, in contrast wdth 
the w^armth imparted by Christian religion. At the 
time the Greek schools were in their glory, Jesus had 
not appeared as a spiritual guide and teacher, nor was 
he at any time, by the Jews or any other nation, for 
a moment thought of as such. When he did come, 
with the warming power of love, the regenerating, 
vivifying force of the Christian religion, it opened a 
new fountain of joy and gladness, of faith and hope. 
But in the enjoyment of that, why forget the advance 
made hy Greek philosophy ? Sound thought, deep 
and serious reflection, a close w^atch over all we say or 
do, with an eye single to God, and a constant eflbrt 
to better our race, are much more profitable than shout- 
ing hallelujahs, without any higher motive than to hear 
ourselves declare what we cannot feel. 

Witli the Stoics, theism is converted into panthe- 
ism. There is one Being, the substance of all things, 



The Gods and Religion of Greece. 141 

from whom the universe flows forth, and into whom it 
returns in regular cycles. The everlasting existence of 
souls as individuals was denied by the Stoics, w^ho 
believed that at the end of a certain cycle they would 
be resolved into the Divine Being. In like manner 
the Scriptures say the spirit at death shall return to 
God, from whence it came, and the body to the dust, 
as it was before being created. 

The Epicureans were opposed to religion in all its 
forms, which they pronounced a curse to mankind. 
They did not. respect the popular faith in gods ; denied 
the care of Divine Providence ; rejected prayer, proph- 
ecy, divination, and considered that religion was found- 
ed on fear ; yet, like their master Epicurus, they be- 
lieved in the existence of the immortal gods. 

Such, in brief, were the principal theological views 
of the Grreek philosophers. The ground they took was 
far higher than that occupied by the poets. It may 
also be noticed that, from the first account we have of 
the Greek colony, onward in their history, there was a 
steady advance in all that constitutes civilization and 
profound learning, in political economy, in ethics and 
religion. Many practices still survived quite unworthy 
of a nation so enlightened, such as burning incense and 
offering sacrifices, w^iich were very prevalent. On great 
occasions the sacrifices were large as the hecatomb — 
which means a hundred oxen. It is a curious fact that 
holy water was placed at the entrance of the temple, 



142 Heligions Before Christianity. 

consecrated by putting into it a burning torch from the 
altar, with which, or with a branch of laurel, the wor- 
shipers were sprinkled on entering. The worshipers 
were also expected to wash their bodies, or at least their 
hands and feet, before going into the temple — a custom 
common also among the Jews and other nations. So 
Ezekiel says : " I will sprinkle you with clean water, 
and you shall be clean." And, according to this cus- 
tom, Paul said: "Let us draw near, having our hearts 
sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies 
washed with pure water." We can see by this that 
the use of water as a symbol for cleansing and wash- 
ing away. sin did not originate with the disciples and 
followers of John the Baptist, or with Jesus. The 
ceremony was possibly contemporaneous with the Greeks 
and other nations, and with the prophets. As with the 
Jews, so with the Greeks, all offerings were made ot 
the best things they had of the kind. An animal, if 
such was to be sacrificed, without spot or blemish, 
if possible, was taken. All the Greek festivals were 
religious, but they were held in honor of almost every- 
thing, and for almost every purpose. Such festivals 
constituted the acme of Greek life. Greek temples 
were not intended for worship, but chiefly to contain 
the images of the gods. Along the magnificent peri- 
style which surrounded the four sides of the Doric 
temples, the splendid processions could circulate in 
full view of the multitude. 



The Gods and Religion of Greece. 143 

The oflSce of priest was sometimes hereditary, but 
not confined to any particular class. Plato recommends 
that there should be an annual rotation, no one acting 
as priest for more than one year. No such thing, 
therefore, as priestcraft existed with the Greeks. They 
had no hierarchy. 

Diviners, however, were common, and much con- 
sulted. Alcibiades had augurs and oracles devoted to 
his interest, who deceived the Athenians. The Delphic 
oracle took the highest rank. It was thought to be 
the center of the earth, and revered by the Pan- 
Hellenic race as a supreme religious court, and be- 
lieved to be infallible. DoUinger says the w^hole life 
of the Greeks was penetrated by religion, so they in- 
stinctively and naturally prayed on all occasions. They 
prayed at sunrise, at sunset, at mealtimes, for outward 
blessings of all kinds, and also for virtue and wisdom. 
They prayed standing, with a lond voice, and hands 
lifted to the heavens. They threw kisses to the gods 
with their hands. So we see the Greek worship, like 
their theology, was natural, cheerful, hopeful, and 
free from superstition. 

The early gods of most nations are local. This 
was the case in Greece. In Athens, down to the 
time of Alexander, each tribe kept its own divinities. 
Everything like mystery is foreign to the Hellenic 
mind. The early home ofmj^steryis thought to have 
been Egypt, from whence it spread into various other 



144: Religions Before Christianity. 

countries. Orpheus is the reputed founder of the Bac- 
chic mysteries, in the island of Samothrace, near the 
coast of Asia Minor. Another account says that this 
mode of worship was reformed by Orpheus and a por- 
tion of the gross licentiousness abolished. He died a 
martyr to the purer faith he undertook to establish. 
The principal mysteries were those of Bacchus and 
Ceres. The Bacchic mysteries were a wild nature- 
worship, accompanied with frenzy and many strange 
and peculiar demonstrations. Mysteries were cele- 
brated at Eleusis every fourth year. They are said 
to have been introduced B.C. 1356. All persons were 
required to be initiated, in order to enjoy its privi- 
leges. Candidates were crowned with myrtle and 
admitted by night into a vast temple, where they 
were purified, and instructed, and assisted at certain 
grand solemnities. The unity of God and the immor- 
tality of the soul are supposed to have been taught. 
Bacchus was believed to be an Indian god first, and 
afterward adopted by Greece, to whose use in their 
early history he seemed well adapted. The Thracian 
form of Bacchic worship was distasteful to the enlight- 
ened class. Plato discarded it entirely. From the 
last accounts we have of it, the effect was to degrade, 
not elevate; to demoralize, not enlighten. 

Orpheus probably came from Egypt into Greece. 
The Orphic doctrine may be traced back at least six 
centuries before Christ. It constituted a mystic and 



The Gods and Religion of Greece. 145 

pantheistic theology. The Pythagoreans had much 
respect for this system. The Orphic doctrine unfolded 
a system of cosmogony in which Time was the first 
principle of things, from which came chaos and etlier. 
Then came the primitive egg, from which was born 
Phanes, or Manifestation, ^t death the soul escapes 
from this prison, and passes through many changes, by 
which it is purified. These notions were not suited to 
the Greek mind, for the true Greek was not panthe- 
istic nor introspective. The Orphic theology con- 
stantly shows its pantheistic character. 

What was long known as the Greek oracles has 
by some been considered as the eftect of stupefying 
gases. Among them the oracle of Apollo, at Delphi, 
was the most noted, and explicitly confided in among 
the ancient Greeks. Diodorus Siculus tells us how 
this was discovered : ^' Upon Mount Parnassus, where 
goats were wont to feed, there was a deep cavern, 
with a small, narrow mouth, which, when approached 
by the goats, caused them to leap in a most frantic 
and unusual manner, and utter strange, unheard-of 
sounds. The goatherd, observing this, and wondering 
what could be the cause of it, went himself to view 
the cavern, whereifpon he also was seized with a like 
fit of madness, leaping and dancing, and foretelling 
things to come." 

Archbishop Patten, in speaking of the officiating 
priestess of this oracle, says that, when inspired, she 



146 Beligions Before Christianity, 

began immediately to swell, foam at the mouth, tear 
her hair, cut her flesh, and to appear like one dis- 
tracted. In some cases the paroxysms were so violent 
as to cause immediate death. The wisest men of that 
time believed in these oracles most implicitly, and as 
honestly as the Jews gave credit to their best proph- 
ets, who took strange means to bring out their powers 
— in some respects in imitation of the Greeks. The 
latter were more general in predictions than the for- 
mer, and to that extent wiser. Pausanias informs us 
that those who desired to consult the oracles of Tro- 
phonius' cave, at Lebadea in Boeotia, were obliged to 
undergo various preparatory ceremonies, w^hich con- 
tinued through several days ; to purify themselves by 
various methods ; to offer sacrifices to different deities ; 
to be anointed and washed ; and to drink of the waters 
of forgetfulness, that their former cares might be 
buried, and of the waters of remembrance, that noth- 
ing of what they saw should be forgotten. 

The cave was surrounded by a wall resembling an 
oven on the inside, being about four cubits wide and 
eight deep. This was entered by means of a ladder, 
and those going down carried with them cakes made 
of honey. Having in all respects* complied with the 
regulations established as necessary by experience, 
and reached the bottom of this artificial cave, the 
• future was fully opened to them. 

Now we may think, it strange that a belief so fool- 



The Gods and Religion of Greece. 147 

ishly whimsical could find dupes among a people so 
highly cultivated and far advanced in civilization. 
We wonder they were so easily duped. Nevertheless, 
we are still subject to the same folly, the same weak- 
ness. After a little ceremony over an infant and say- 
ing that " the child is regenerate and grafted into the 
body of Christ's Church," we believe it true. The 
cases where we can, by anything we say or do, gain 
a knowledge of God's purposes, of what he will or 
will not do, are few, if any ever happen. No man 
can tell with certainty what is to be his condition 
after death, what is to occur, or where he is to go. 
He may dream about it, may talk about it, but he 
knows absolutely nothing. Yague superstitions and 
idle dreams draw us on until good sense is all gone. 



CHAPTER IX. 

THE GODS AND RELIGION OF ROME. 

That portion of Europe known as Italy, of which 
Rome is the capital, extends from the mountain range 
of the Alps in a southeasterly direction into the Med- 
iterranean sea about five hundred miles. The part of 
this sea between Italy and the Hellenic peninsula was 
named the Adriatic; that on the west the Tyrrhenian 
sea. The great plain in the north extends in a nearly 
unbroken level from the Alps to the Appenines and 
the sea. Its principal rivers are the Po, the Adige, 
the Arno, and the Tiber, of which the last two are 
navigable. 

The best authority on Roman history down to the 
time of Octavius, first emperor under the name of 
Augustus, B.C. 27, is Niebuhr. He informs us that 
the purely mythical history of Rome terminates witli 
Numa. The dawn of reality begins to glimmer during 
the reign of TuUus Hostilius. He says that the story 



The Gods and Religion of Rome. 149 

about the infancy of Romulus and Remus is mythical, 
and that the War of Troy is so completely mythic that 
no part can be regarded as strictly historical. 

After the beginning of the fifth century B.C., about 
the time the regal period ended and the republic began, 
we have a more thorough knowledge of what took 
place among the Romans. Mr. Clarke says that with 
the Romans everj^thing was done with a deliberate 
intention. Their religion was not an inspiration, but 
an intention. All forms of religion might come to 
Rome and take their places in its Pantheon, but they 
must come as servants and soldiers of the state. Rome 
opened an asylum for them, just as Rome had estab- 
lished a refuge on the Capitoline Hill, to which all 
outlaws might come and be safe on condition of serv- 
ing the community. Everything in Rome must serve 
the state ; hence the religion of Rome was a state in- 
stitution, though nothing is clearly known of it during 
the mythic period. 

There is quite enough of myth and legend inter- 
woven with the religious history of every nation, if, 
indeed, these traits are wanting in a single case. Con- 
sidering that the Christian religion started in a Roman 
territory, we could liardly omit to say something of 
the religion that prevailed there before the birth of 
Jesus. 

All liberal thinkers can but admire the spirit of 
toleration displayed in Rome; for, though the state 



150 Meligions Before Christianity. 

religion was a system of ritualistic worship^ it com- 
pelled no one to abjure his own faith, nor to adopt 
theirs, if we can in truth say that they had a faith. 
The high office of Pontiff was common in the time 
of Numa, the earliest of their authentic history. It 
was the business of this priest to superintend divine 
worship, the offering of sacrifice, and other religious 
ceremonies. The Komans had a college of pontiffs, 
or high - priests. The very respect for national law 
in the Roman mind caused the worship of national 
gods to be legalized. 

The Jews in Eome were not interfered with, but 
were allowed to worship the Jewish God in which they 
believed. The Christians were only interfered with 
when they openly rebelled against the national faith. 
The Eoman nation was derived from various sources: 
from the Latins, Sabines, Pelasgians, and Etruscans, 
more particularly. Niebuhr thinks the Sabine ritual 
was adopted by the Romans, and that Yarro found 
the real remains of Sabine chapels on the Quirinal. 
The system of divination came from Etruria. Being 
strongly polytheistic, they had, like many other nations 
designated as idolatrous, an obscure conception of one 
Supreme Being. They had also many inferior divini- 
ties who presided over small matters. One of the 
oldest and most original of the gods of Rome was 
the Sabine god Janus. The opening month of the 
year, January, received its name from this god. The 



The Gods and lieligion of Home. 151 

temple for him had four sides, corresponding to tli3 
four seasons of the year; he was god of the year. 
This temple was open in war, but closed in peace. It 
is thought by Creuzer and others that the idea of this 
god, wdth his characteristics, came from Bactria. The 
chief feast of Janus was on the Calends (first day) of 
January. On tliis day all the Romans put on their 
best attire, avoided all bad talk and conduct, and made 
presents of small coin with a Janus-head. Janus was 
the great god of the Sabines, with a temple on Mount 
Janiculum. 

Mr. Clarke says : " In every important city of 
Etruria there were temples to the three gods, Jupiter, 
Juno, and Minerva. In like manner the magnificent 
temple of the Capitol at Rome consisted of three parts 
— a nave sacred to Jupiter ; and two wings, or aisles, 
one dedicated to Juno, the other to Minerva." This 
temple was two hundred and fifteen feet long and two 
hundred feet wide, and in it immense wealth was accu- 
mulated. Jupiter derives his name from the Sanskrit 
word "Div," or " Diu," indicating the splendor of 
heaven or of day, which means the same as Father of 
Heaven or Fathei' of Light. His w^hole attention 
was devoted to the care of the city and state. 

The Roman Pantheon contained three classes of 
gods and goddesses: First, the old Italian divinities, 
Etruscan, Latin, and Sabine, naturalized and adopted 
by the state; secondly, the pale abstractions of the 



152 Religions Before Christianity. 

understanding, invented by the College of Pontiffs for 
moral and political purposes ; and thirdly, the gods of 
Greece, imported, with a change of name, by the liter- 
ary admirers and imitators of Hellas. The genuine 
deities of the Koman religion were all of the first 
order. The second class of deities were those manu- 
factured by the pontiffs — almost the only instance in 
the history of religious affairs of deliberate god-making. 
The result of this manufacture was not the most favor- 
able. The third class of deities were principally 
adopted from Greece. Some, like Apollo, were im- 
ported, others Hellenized. In their early days the 
Romans had no statues of their gods ; that custom was 
adopted from Greece. 

Besides Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva, the Eomans 
worshiped many others. Sol^ the sun, a Sabine deity ; 
Luna^ the moon; Mater Matuta^ Mother of Day — 
that is, the dawn ; Tempestates^ the tempests ; Yul- 
canus (from fulgeo^ " to shine "), an old Italian deity, 
whose temple was in existence B.C. 491; Fontus^ the 
god of fountains ; Divus pater Tiberinus^ or Fatlier 
Tiber, chief river god, etc. There were also gods 
of human relations : Vesta, queen of the hearth and 
household fire ; the Senates and Lares, who were 
purely Koman, and were supposed to be the souls of 
ancestors, which resided in the house and guarded it ; 
the Genius : the worship of this god was purely Ital- 



The Gods and Religion of Home. 153 

ian. Each man had his genius, from whom his living 
power and vital force came. 

There were also deities of the human soul : 1. Mars 
— mind, intellect; 2. Pudicitia — chastity; 3. Pietas^ 
piety, reverence for parents ; 4. Fides — fidelity ; 5. 
Concordia — concord ; 6. Yirtus — courage ; 7. Spes — 
hope; 8. Pallor — fear; 9. Voluptas — pleasure. 

Deities of different occupations were common : 1 . 
Tellus^ the earth; 2. Saturnus^ Saturn, the god of 
planting and sowing; 3. Oj)Sj goddess of the harvest; 
4. Mars^ originally an agricultural god, dangerous to 
crops; 5. Silvanus^ the wood god; 6. Faunus^ an old 
Italian deity, the patron of agriculture ; 7. Terminus^ 
an old Italian deity, the guardian of limits and bound- 
aries; 8. Ceres J or goddess of the cereal grasses; 
9. Liber ^ god of the vine ; 10. Bona Dea^ the good 
goddess; 11. Magna Mater ^ or Cybele, a worship 
introduced early at Home ; 12. Flora^ who was an 
original goddess of Italy, presiding over flowers and 
blossoms; 13. Yertumnus^ the god of gardens; 14. 
Pomona^ goddess of the harvest; 18. Pales^ a rural 
god protecting cattle. Besides these the Romans had 
many other deities, more or less in favor. This classi- 
fication and arrangement is in most respects copied 
from Mr. Clarke. 

The Roman ceremonial worship was very elabo- 
rate, and applied to every part of daily life. They 
had family feasts in honor of the dead. Between 



154: Religions Before Chinstianity. 

things sacred and profane there was a careful distinc- 
tion. Festivals were frequent at all seasons of the 
year. There were five in January, six in Februarj^, 
seven in March, eight in April, four in May, five in 
June, five in July, five .in August, games in September, 
two feasts in October, and two in December. Religion 
was prominent everywhere in Kome. All was con- 
ducted with system and regularity — prayers and sac- 
rifices as well as daily pursuits. The doctrine of the 
opus operaturn was supreme in Roman religion. The 
intention was not taken into account. The question 
was, had the thing been done, or the operation per- 
formed, according to rule ? If not, it must be done 
over again. Many victims were often killed before 
priestly etiquette was satisfied. 

In law-making and judicial proceedings the augurs 
were not only consulted, but radical changes were 
made in obedience to this strange and now seemingly 
ridiculous authority. 

Prayers were made after the manner of our times, 
but the slightest mistake destroyed all their efficacy. 
Religious acts were a kind of charm. The supreme 
god of Rome, in their early history, might with pro- 
priety be called law, rule, order, regulation. Organic 
law was a system of hard, external method. In the 
oldest Roman time the seat of worship was the Regia, 
in the Yia Sacra, near the Forum. Here was the 
house of the chief pontiff; here the sacrifices were 



The Gods and Religion of Home. 155 

performed by the Rex Sacrorum. The temple of 
Yesta stood near. The home of the Latin gods was 
Palatine Hill. Mr. Clarke says the old worship of 
Home was free from idolatry; to which we can hardly 
assent. Why they should escape from being called 
idolaters we do not see ; though Mr. Clarke says that 
it was because Jupiter, Juno, Janus, Ops, and Vesta 
were not represented by idols. Roman worship, until 
about 300 B.C., was administered by certain patrician 
families; after that, plebeians were allowed to enter 
the sacred colleges. 

Flamens were the priests of particular deities. 
There were fifteen in all, who held office for life. The 
riamen Dialis, or priests of Jupiter, were obliged to 
conform to much that seems like ridiculous folly. 
Augury was particularly attended to in Rome. The 
name came from an old Aryan word, meaning "sight," 
or "eye," or from the German auge. Augurs were 
really Roman seers. Their business was to look, at 
midnight, into the starry heavens, and observe the 
most trifling thing, thereby to gather a correct knowl- 
edge of the future. Most of these stories about signs 
and wonders are being laid aside by well-informed 
people, even in Rome, where they originated. They 
were always unsuited to any but the simple and weak- 
minded. Yet, strange as it may seem, there is a ten- 
dency to believe in all kinds of wonder-working, witch- 
craft, and jugglery. When at prayer, the Romans 



156 Heligions Before Christianity. 

covered their heads, so that no sound of evil angiiry 
might be heard. Many other practices during devo- 
tion might be mentioned to show what strange vagaries 
haunt the human mind. 

Funeral solemnities were held with great care and 
pomp. Festivals to the dead were also celebrated. 

The Romans had no exuberance of thought like 
the Greeks. Therefore Roman thought became Hel- 
lenized. 

Mr. Clarke well observes: As the old faith died, 
more ceremonies were added ; for, as life goes out, 
forms come in. As the winter of unbelief lowers the 
stream of piety, the ice of ritualism accumulates along 
its banks. About two centuries before Christ, three 
colleges had been established for the education of 
pontiffs.. At length the gods were changed by the 
Greek statuaries into ornaments suited to adorn a 
rich man's house. Greek myths are connected with 
the story of Roman deities. Much that has come to 
us as history about the Romans before Christ, in regard 
to their religion and practices, their habits of thought 
and strangeness of taste, is unreasonable and unreli- 
able. 

At the time of Cataline's conspiracy, according to 
Mr. Merrivale, a remarkable debate took place in the 
Roman Senate. Caesar held the highest religious office 
in the state — that of chief pontiff — and opposed put- 
ting the conspirators to death, as death ended all 



The Gods and Religion of Rome. 157 

Buffering ; that after death there could be no pain 
or pleasure. Cato remarked that Caesar had spoken 
well, and said he took it that Caesar regarded as 
false all that was told about the sufferings hereafter. 
Sallust reported these speeches and Cicero confirmed 
them. 

The best-informed, the educated, seemed to think it 
highly proper to keep the common people in order by 
the use of superstitions. It is easily seen that the 
masses in Rome, and in some other countries, were in 
the habit of imbibing all that was offered them. Noth- 
ing was so contrary to reason, so absurd or ridiculous, 
that they would reject it from those in religious au- 
thority. To believe what the priests told them was 
then, as now, a part of religious duty, a saving grace. 

Men like Lucretius, who saw the evil tendency of 
the miserable superstitions of his time, naturally cried 
out that all religion was priestcraft and an unmitigated 
evil. Hence he falls into another extreme and denies 
the gods and the human soul. The Stoics sought a 
faith based on reason. Philosophy, for those who had 
minds to grasp it, was much preferable to wild im- 
aginings. Seneca was right when he declared that 
there was a sacred spirit in every heart. God and 
matter, he says, are the two principles of all being; 
God is the active, matter the passive. God is spirit, 
and all souls are part of this spirit. Reason is the 



158 Religions Before Christianity. 

bond wbicli unites God and all other souls — so God 
dwells in all souls. 

Epictetns declared that the wise man would not 
rely on tradition and hearsay for the belief that Jupiter 
is the father of gods and men, unless otherwise in- 
wardly convinced in his soul. He also said the phil- 
osopher could have no will but that of the deity. 
The life of Epictetus w^as characterized by nobleness 
and purity. Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, according to 
Niebuhr, was among the most virtuous of mankind; 
mild' and humble. His time was eighty-six years be- 
fore the birth of Christ. He had really the soul and 
heart of a Christian. 

Seneca believed in a sacred spirit which was in us 
all, though, like other Stoics, he was a pantheist. He 
says : " Will you call God the world ? You may do 
so without mistake. For he is all that you see around 
you." " What is God ? The mind of the universe 
What is God ? All that you see, and all that you do 
not see." Philosophy did not destroy the Christian 
religion, for the time of which we are now especially 
speaking was about one century before the birth ox 
Jesus. But it weakened faith in the national gods. 
The tendency of the old state religion was downward. 
The old Koman simplicity and purity was lost. Caesar- 
ism, in destroying things generally, destroyed the life 
of religion. In speaking of religion, the 'elder Pliny 
said : It was ^' the offspring jof necessity, weakness, 



The Gods and Religion of Home. 159 

and fear. "What God is, if in truth he be anything 
distinct from. the world, is beyond the compass of man's 
understanding to know. But it is a foolish delusion, 
which has sprung from human weakness and human 
pride, to imagine that such an infinite spirit would 
concern himself with the petty affairs of man." 



CHAPTEE X. 

TEUTONIC AND SCANDINAVIAN RELIGION. 

The great Teutonic, or German, division of the 
Indo-European family entered Europe subsequently to 
the Keltic tribes, and before the Slavic immigration. 
They occupied a large portion of Northern and Cen- 
tral Europe, from which the Romaus were not able 
to drive them. Of their early history little is known. 
Their Runic inscriptions show a desire for making rec- 
ords. Caesar describes them as of great stature, and 
warlike; worshiping the Sun, Moon, and Fire; having 
no regard for priests or sacrifices ; devoting themselves 
to hunting and severe labor ; chaste, if only for the 
promotion of health. They were a pastoral rather than 
an agricultural people. They fought w4th cavalry, 
supported by infantry. Their wealth was largely- in 
flocks and herds. Their language was the old Norse, 
from which are derived the languages of Ireland, the 
Faroe Isles, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. Scandi- 



Teutonic and Scandinavian lieligion, 161 

navia was the place where the Teutonic race devel- 
oped its civilization and religion. It is there we must 
go to study the German religion, and to find the hiflu- 
ence exercised on modern civilization and the present 
character of Europe. 

We do not know how much those old Northern 
ideas may be still mingled with our ways of thought. 
The names of their gods are retained in those of our 
week-days — Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Fri- 
day. From their assemblies came the idea of a Par- 
liament, Congress, and general assemblies. From the 
North came respect for women, from the South the 
admiration for them. 

Scandinavia proper consists of those regions now 
occupied by the kingdoms of Denmark, Sweden, and 
Norway. The great peninsula of Sweden and Norway 
has the Northern ocean on its west, the Baltic and 
gulf of Bothnia on its east, and is penetrated every- 
where by creeks, friths, and arms of the sea ; sur- 
rounded with innumerable islands ; studded with lakes, 
and cleft with rivers. It is unrivaled, except by Switz- 
erland, in the sublime and picturesque beauty of its 
mountains. The peninsula of Denmark is quite free 
from mountains. 

These Scandinavian people, destined to play so 
conspicuous a part in the world's history, were, as 
before stated, a branch of the great Indo-European 
variety. As modern ethnology shows, all the races 



162 lieligions Before Christianity. 

that inhabit Europe, with a few exceptions, belong to 
one family, w^hich originated in Central Asia. The 
closest resemblance may be noticed between the seven 
linguistic families of Hindustan, Persia, Greece, Kom.e, 
Germany, the Kelts, and the Slavi. 

Before our era the peninsula of Denmark was called 
Cimbric Chersonesus, or the Cimbric Peninsula. This 
name came from the Cimbri, a people who, about one 
hundred years B.C., almost overthrew the Roman re- 
public. Incredible as it may seem, more than three 
hundred thousand men, issuing from the peninsula of 
Denmark and the contiguous regions, poured like a 
torrent over Gaul and southern Germany. They over- 
threw in succession four Roman armies, but were finally 
conquered by the military skill of Marius. After this 
the Goths, Vandals, and Huns combined and overthrew 
the Roman empire. In time the Scandinavians ap- 
peared again under the name of Northmen, invading 
and conquering England in the fifth century as Sax- 
ons ; in the sixth century as Danes ; and in the eleventh 
as Normans, again overrunning England and France. 
The Scandinavians were formidable on the water ; dar- 
ing and skillful navigators from having been obliged 
to encounter the rough sea and tempests of the North- 
ern ocean. Their vessels, though able to withstand 
the roughest sea, were small and slight, and found 
their way up the rivers of France and England without 
check from the shallows or rocks. In these apparently 



Teutonic and Scandinavian Religion. 163 

fragile craft they discovered Iceland, which was set- 
tled bj them A.D. 860. They discovered and settled 
Greenland A.D. 982. In A.D. 1000 they discovered 
Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Massachusetts Bay. Five 
hundred years before the discovery of Columbus they 
built houses on the southern side of Cape Cod. These 
facts have for some time been established to the satis- 
faction of European scholars and historians. This re- 
markable people have furnished a large part of the 
population of England, by means of the successive 
conquests of Saxons, Danes, and Normans, driving the 
Keltic races into the mountainous regions of Wales 
and North Scotland, where their descendants still re- 
main. They settled also in various parts of Northern 
Europe, and in Italy and Greece, and have left the 
familiar stamp of their ideas and habits in all our 
modern civilization. 

The Scandinavian religion has for its central idea a 
belief in the free struggle of the soul against material 
obstacles, the freedom of the Divine will in its conflict 
with the opposing forces of nature. The gods of the 
Scandinavians were always at war. It was a system 
of dualism, in which sunshine, summer, and growth 
were waging perpetual conflict with storm, snow, win- 
ter, ocean, and terrestrial fire. So with the people, 
war was their business, courage their duty, fortitude 
their virtue. The light and heat gods w^ere their 
friends; those of darkness and cold their enemies. 



164 Heligions Before Christianity. 

For the same reason that the burning he;fit of summer, 
Typhon, was the Egyptian Satan, so, in the North, 
the Jotuns, ice-giants, were the Scandinavian devils. 

In the Teutonic race the chief virtue of man was 
courage ; his unpardonable sin, cowardice. " To fight 
a good fight" — this was the way to Valhalla. Odin 
sent his choosers to every battle-field to select the 
brave dead to become his companions in the joys of 
heaven. 

As Iceland was settled from Norway in the ninth 
century, the ideas and manners of the Teutonic people 
were preserved there for many hundred years. The 
Eddas and Sagas are the chief source of our knowledge 
of this race. In this barren region, where volcanoes 
with terrible eruptions destroy large portions of the 
inhabited country in a few days, we find the purest 
form of Scandinavian life. Their religion is contained 
in the two Eddas : the poetic, or elder Edda, consisting 
of thirty-seven poems, first collected and published at 
the end of the eleventh century ; and the younger, or 
prose Edda, ascribed to the celebrated Snorro Stur- 
leson, born of a distinguished Icelandic family in the 
twelfth century, who, after leading a turbulent and 
ambitious life and being twice chosen supreme magis- 
trate, was killed A.D. 1241. 

The elder Edda is the fountain of the mj^thology. 
It consists of old songs and ballads which have come 
down from an immemorial past in the mouths of the 



Teutonic and Scandinavian Religion, 165 

peo])lej and first collected and committed to writing 
by Ssemund, a Christian priest of Iceland, in the 
eleventh centmy. He was a bard, or Scald, as well 
as a priest, and one of liis own poems, *' The Sun- 
Song," is in his Edda. This word "Edda" means 
" Great-Grand-Mother," the ancient Mother of Scandi. 
navian knowledge. Or perhaps this name was given 
to the legends repeated by grandmothers to their 
grandchildren at the vast firesides of the old farm- 
houses in Iceland. 

The cosmogony of the Scandinavians is simply de- 
velopment, or evolution, combined with a creation. 
The Hindu, Gnostic, and Platonic theories suppose 
the visible world to have emanated from God, by a 
succession of fallings from the most abstract spirit to 
the most concrete matter. The resemblance between 
the Greek account of the origin of gods and men and 
that of the Scandinavians is striking. 

Of the creation of the world the Eddas say : '^ In 
the dayspring of the ages there was neither seas, nor 
shore, nor refreshing breeze. There was neither earth 
below nor heaven above. The whole was only one vast 
abyss, without herb and without seas. The sun had 
no palace, the stars no place, the moon no power. 
After this there was a bright-shining world of flame 
to the South, and another, a cloudy and dark one, 
toward the North. Torrents of venom flowed from 
the last into the abyss, and froze, and filled it full of 



166 Religions Before Christianity. 

ice. But the air oozed up through it in icy vapors, 
which were melted into living drops by a warm breath 
from the South; and from these came the giant Ymir. 
From him came a race of wicked giants. . . .Then arose 
also, in a mysterious manner, Bor, the father of three 
Bons, Odin, Yili, and Ve, who, after several adven- 
tures — having killed the giant Ymir, and made out of 
his body Heaven and Earth — proceeded to form a man 
and woman, named Ask and Embla. Chaos having 
thus disappeared, Odin became the All-Father, creator 
of gods and men, with Earth for his wife, and the pow- 
erful Thor for his eldest son." 

As the Scandinavian gods are numerous, no attempt 
will be made to give all their names or to explain 
their duties and powers. There are twelve gods in 
particular in whom they are bound to believe, and to 
whom divine honors, according to their faith, ought 
to be rendered. The oldest is Odin, who governs all 
things ; and, although other deities are powerful, they 
all serve and obey him, as children do their father. 
Frigga is his wife. She foresees the destinies of men, 
but never revq^ls what is to come. For thus, it is 
said, Odin himself told Loki : '^ Senseless Loki, why 
wilt thou pry into futurity ? Frigga alone knoweth 
the destinies of all, though she telleth them never.'' 
Again, it is said, in their sacred books, that Thor is 
the mightiest of all the other gods. He is called Asa- 
Thor and Auku-Thor, and is the strongest of all gods 



Teutonic and Scandinavian Religion. 167 

and men. His realm is Tliordvang, and his mansion 
Bilskirnir, in which are five hundred and forty halls. 
It is the largest house ever built. Thor has a car drawn 
bv two 2:oats. From his drivino; about in this car he is 
called Auku-Tlior (Charioteer-Thor). He likewise has 
three very precious things. The first is a mallet called 
Mjolnir, wiiich both the Frost and the Mountain giants 
know to their cost when they see it hurled against them 
in the air ; and no wonder, for it has split many a skull 
of their fathers and kindred. The second rare thing 
he possesses is called the belt of strength or prowess 
(Megingjardir). When he girds this about him, his 
divine might is doubly augmented. The third, also, is 
very precious, being his iron gauntlets, which he is 
obliged to put on whenever he would lay hold of the 
handle of his mallet. There is no one so wise as to be 
able to relate all of Thor's marvelous exploits. 

The second son of Odin is called Baldur, who is 
loudly praised by all mankind, as the Scandinavian 
books say. He is not only fair, but dazzling. Baldur 
is called the mildest, the wisest, and the most eloquent 
of all the ^sir, yet his nature is such that the judg- 
ment he has pronounced can never be altered. He 
dwells in the heavenly mansion called Breidablik, 

The third god is Njord, w^ho dwells in the heavenly 
region called Noatun. His rule is over the winds. 
He checks the fury of the sea and of fire. He is so 
wealthy that he can give possessions and treasures to 



168 lieligions Before Christianity, 

those wlio call on him for them. Yet Njord is not 
of the lineage of the ^sir, for he was born and bred 
in Vanaheim. But tlie Yanir gave him as hostage to 
the ^sir, receiving from them, in his stead, Hoenir, 
by which means peace was re-established between the 
^sir and Yanir. Njord took to wife Skadi, daughter 
of the giant Thjassi. She preferred dwelling in the 
abode formerly belonging to her father, w^hich is situ- 
ated among the rocky mountains, in the region called 
Thrymheim, but Njord loved to reside near the sea. 
They at last agreed that they should pass together 
nine nights in Thrymheim, and then three in Noatun. 
After that, Skadi returned' to the rocky mountains 
and abode in Thrymheini. There, fastening her snow- 
skates, and taking her bow, she passed her time in the 
chase of savage beasts, and is called the Ondu goddess, 
or Ondurdis. Njord afterward, at his residence at Noa- 
tun, had two children, a son named Frey, and a daugh- 
ter called Freyja, both of them beauteous and mighty. 
Frey is one of the most celebrated of the gods. He 
presides over rain, and sunshine, and all the fruits ot 
the earth, and should be invoked in order to obtain 
good harvests, and also for peace. He dispenses w^ealth 
among men. Freyja is the most propitious of the 
goddesses. Her abode in heaven is called Folkvang. 
To whatever fxcld of battle she rides, she asserts her 
right to one-half of the slain ; the other half belong 
to Odin. 



Teutonic and Scandinavian Religion. 169 

Tyr is the most daring and intrepid of all the gods. 
He dispenses valor in war. Another god is named 
Bragij who is celebrated for his wisdom, eloquence, 
and correct forms of speech. He is skilled in poetry, 
and the art itself is called, from his name, Bvagi. His 
wife is named Iduna. She keeps, in a box, the apples 
which the gods, when they feel old age approaching, 
have only to taste to become young again. It is in 
this way they will be kept ' in renovated growth until 
Ragnarok. 

One of the gods is Heimdall, called also the White 
God. He is the son of nine virgins who were sisters, 
and is a very sacred and powerful deity. He also 
bears the name of the Gold-toothed, on account of his 
teeth being of pure gold. His horse is called GuU- 
topp, and he dwells in Himinbjorg, at the end of Bi- 
frost. He is the warder of the srods, and is therefore 
placed on the borders of heaven, to prevent the giants 
from forcing their way over the bridge. 

Another god is named Hodur, who is blind, but 
very strong. 

The foregoing are a few of the main points of the 
Scandinavian mythology, resembling in many respects 
that of Zoroaster. Each is in reality a dualism, with 
its good and evil gods, its worlds, or places, of light 
and of darkness, in opposition to each other. And 
each ]}as, behind this dualism, a shadow of monotheism, 
a supreme God, infinite and eternal. In each the evil 



170 Religions Before Christianity. 

powers are now held in partial subjection, but are ulti- 
mately to be overthrown. Each system speaks of a 
great conflagration, when all things shall be destroyed, 
to be followed by the creation of a new earth, more 
beautiful than the old, to be the abode of purity, 
peace, and joy. The duty of man in each system is 
war in the cause of good to put down evil. The 
religion of Zoroaster shows a higher tone of morality 
than the Scandinavian. It 'is more refined, more spir- 
itual. And still the latter has a powerful influence 
for good over the people who believe in it. 

The religious ceremonies of the Scandinavians were 
simple, and, during their early days, held in the open 
air. In later times tliey had temples, some of which 
were splendid. Besides their priests, the Northern 
nations had their soothsaj^ers, wonder-workers, magi- 
cians. They also believed that by the power of runes 
the dead could be made to speak. These runes were 
called Galder. Another kind of magic, mostlj^ prac- 
ticed by women, was called Seid. It was thought that 
these were women who possessed the power of raising 
and allaying storms, and of hardening the body so that 
a sword would not cut it. Numerous other wonder- 
ful powers were said to be possessed by both male and 
female magicians. 

Not many temple remains are found in the far 
North. In Norway there are permanent remains of the 
religion of Odin, in the shape of usages and language. 



Teutonic and Scandinavian Religion. 171 

In Sweden, every ninth year, sacrifices were made 
in the great Temple at Upsal. The king and all the 
principal citizens were obliged to attend. Nine human 
beings were sacrificed annually — generally either cap- 
tives or slaves ; but in times of great calamity a king 
was sometimes taken. Erl Hakon, of Norway, offered 
to sacrifice his son to obtain the victory over a band 
of pirates. If this history be true, we see what degrad- 
ing superstitions were practiced. 

As has been before observed, these Northmen were 
the most formidable among the nations of their time. 
The sea-kings of Norway, as they were called, appeared 
before Constantinople in 866, and soon after a body- 
guard of the emperors of the East was composed oi 
these pirates, who were called the Yarangians. After 
the death of Charlemagne they pillaged and burned the 
principal cities of France. In 844: a band of these 
depredators sailed up the Gaudalquiver and attacked 
Seville, then in possession of the Moors, and took it, 
after which they fought a battle with Abderahman II. 

Mr. Clarke tells us at length the history of this 
people, who for many centuries w^ere known by the 
general designation of Northmen. He says the Ger- 
man races endeavored to establish everywhere the feu- 
dal system, the essential character of which was this, 
that it was an army living on a subject people. About 
the year A.D 1000 these Northern people began to 
embrace Christianity. 



CHAPTEE XL 

THE JEWISH RELIGION. 

Having in a former volume given our views at 
length in regard to the Old Testament scriptures, we 
shall here be very brief on the Jewish religion. 

Of the geographical features of Palestine we shall 
speak in a subsequent chapter. 

The Jews belonged to what is known as the Sem- 
itic race, the only historic rival of the Japhetic (or 
Aryan) race. It is ethnologically composed of the 
Assyrians and Babylonians, the Phoenicians, the He- 
brews and other Syrian tribes, the Arabs, and the 
Carthaginians. It is a race which has been famous on 
land and sea. In the valleys of the Euphrates and 
Tigris its sons carried all the arts of social life to the 
highest perfection, and became mighty conquerors and 
w^arlike soldiers. This Semitic race is traceable back 
to Shem, the son of Noah. 

Though the Hebrew religion differed widely from 



The Jewish lieligion, 173 

that of the other nations of the same family, they all 
believed in a supreme God, yet called him by the dif- 
ferent names of Ilu, Bel, Set, Hadad, Moloch, Che- 
mosh, Jaoh, El, Adon, Asshur. All believed in subor- 
dinate and secondary beings, emanations from the 
supreme. 

Takino; the book of Genesis, with the aid of other 
history, as a guide, we find Abraham standing forth 
as the leader and father of a great branch of the Se- 
mitic race. We ascertain that the belief in monotheism, 
though general, was not universal. The tendency of 
the Hebrews w^as at least occasionally toward idolatry, 
which at times became strongly marked, during their 
whole history. 

We learn from Adam Smith's Dictionary that the 

1/ 

word Hebrew first occurs as given to Abraham by tlie 
Oanaanites, because he had crossed the Euphrates. 
The w^ord is also derived from eber^ '* beyond, on the 
other side.'' But this is essentially the same as the 
preceding explanation, since both imply that Abraham 
and his posterity were called Hebrews by the races 
east and west of the Euphrates. It v/ould therefore 
follow that Hebrew was a cis-Euphratian word applied 
to trans -Euphratian immigrants. The term Israelite 
was used by the Jews of themselves, and among them- 
selves, and by it they were known to foreigners. The 
latter name was accepted by the Jews in their external 
relations, and, even after the general substitution of 



174 Religions Before Christianity. 

the word Jew, it still found a place in that marked 
and special feature of national contradistinction, the 
language. 

All the books of the Old Testament, with the ex- 
ception of small portions of Daniel, Ezekiel, and Jere- 
miah, were written in the Hebrew language. The 
Hebrew and Chaldaic are sisters of the great family of 
languages to which the name Semitic is usually given, 
from the real or supposed descent of the people speak- 
ing them from the patriarch Sliem. 

The Jews not only believed in monotheism, but in 
theophany. The latter faith they carried to a greater 
extent than any other nation. So much was said about 
it, and so many cases were cited, that we do not won- 
der that it became so thoroughly interwoven with their 
religion. And it was so very handy to have a God of 
their own, to care for and protect them from all harm; 
and not only this, but to be with them as well as over 
them, to direct tliem w^hen to act and how to act. In 
his care and protection they had a constant, unwaver- 
ing faith. More than all, he was their God. Not the 
least intimation is given in their early history that 
their God had any inclination to aid any other people 
than the Jews, whose enemies he was at all times readv 
to punish for opposing his people. 

The early Hebrews were me>isurably like those 
their ancestors left behind them in Chaldea, with about 
the same faint conceptions of God. At the time they 



The Jewish Religion. 175 

were being freed from their bondage in Egypt they, 
had a strong faith that their particular God appeared 
to Moses in the burnino;; bush, conversino; with him 
and giving him minute directions in regard to the 
most trifling thing, no less than in the working of 
miracles ; and was with him in every performance, every 
movement. This belief had the tendency to make 
them think they were his only especial favorites on 
the earth. The outside world were gentiles, heath- 
ens. 

The first we hear of Abraham (or Abram), so far 
as Bible history is concerned, is in Genesis, chapters 
xi and xii : 

27. "Now these are the generations of Terah: 
Terah begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran ; and Haran 
begat Lot. 

28. "And Haran died before his father Terah in 
the land of his nativity, in Ur of the Chaldees. 

29. " And Abram and Nahor took them wives : 
the name of Abram's wife was Sarai ; and the name 
of Nahor's wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the 
father of Milcah, and the father of Iscah. 

30. " But Sarai was barren ; she had no child. 

31. "And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the 
son of Haran his son's son, and Sarai his daughter-in- 
law, his son Abram's wife ; and they went forth with 
them from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of 
Canaan ; and they came unto Haran, and dwelt there. 



176 lieligions Before Christianity. 

32. " And the days of Terah were two hundred and 
five years: and Terah died in Haran. 

1. "Now the Lord had said unto Abrara, Get thee 
out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from 
thy father's house, unto a land thnt I will shew thee : 

2. " And I will make of thee a great nation, and I 
will bless thee, and make thy name great ; and thou 
shalt be a blessing: 

3. "And I will bless them that bless thee, and 
curse him that curseth thee : and in thee shall all fam- 
ilies of the earth be blessed." 

This promise was remembered, not at particular 
times and seasons, but w;fis constantly kept in mind. 
The Hebrews understood that God would do great 
things for them ; and, more than that, that all who 
refused them aid he would curse. No such promise of 
care and guardianship was ever given before. God 
would bless them only, for that is the plain import. 
Why should they hesitate to butcher the heathens ? 

4. " So Abram departed, as the Lord had spoken 
unto him ; and Lot went with him : and Abram was 
seventy and five years old when he departed out of 
Haran. 

5. " And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his 
brother's son, and all their substance that they had 
gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; 
and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; 
and into the land of Canaan they came. 



The Jevjish Heligion. 177 

6. " And Abram passed through the land unto the 
place of Sichem, unto the plain of Moreh. And the 
Canaanite was then in the land. 

9. '^ And Abram journeyed, going on still toward 
the south. 

10. " And there was a famine in the land : and 
Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there ; for the 
famine was grievous in the land." 

Canaan did not then seem to be a land flowing 
with milk and honey, or any good thing to eat ; al- 
though that was the story Moses told the Israelites 
some time after. 

Abraham's ideas of theology were very crude, or his 
integrity and sense of moral obligation were of no great 
account, for he went to Egypt in a state of starvation, 
and returned in due time wealthy. Chapter xiii : 

1. " And Abram w^ent up out of Egypt, he, and 
liis w^ife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into 
the south. 

2. " And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, 
and in gold. 

3. " And he w^ent on his journeys from the south 
even to Beth-el, unto the place where his tent had been 
at the beginning, between Beth-el and Hai ; 

4. " Unto the place of the altar, which he had 
made there at the first ; and there Abram called on 
the name of the Lord." 

This may be called tlie beginning of Hebrew wor- 



178 Religions Before Christianity, 

ship, for it is the first of which we read. What Abraham 
said we do not know. He might have asked the Lord 
to help him, but it is quite certain that he did not en- 
treat liim to aid any one beside his party. In Genesis 
(xiv, 18) mention is made of one who was called Mel- 
chizedek, and designated as a priest of the Most High 
God, but we do not know tliat this meant the infinite 
Jehovah, nor do we know from whom this priest de^ 
rived his authority, or that he was not an idolatrous 
priest, or of what value his blessing was to Abraham. 

In time Abraham began to have visions as well as 
promises, and to converse with his Lord, or directing 
spirit, and to doubt the truth of his possessing the 
whole land, as he had no children, and Sarah, his wife, 
was barren. In Genesis xv we have the first detailed 
conversation, in w^hich Abraham is represented as asking 
questions and the Lord as answering with increased 
promises, which all who are acquainted with Hebrew 
history know were never fulfilled. After this inter- 
view, the account of wliich is probably mere legend, 
Sarah is represented as advising Abraham: "Behold, 
now, the Lord hath restrained me from bearing ; I 
pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may 
obtain children by her." 

In looking over the Abrahamic history, we can but 
conclude that Abraham had many low as well as high 
traits of character. His moral and religious training 
was not such as to deter him from doing what the 



The Jewish Religion. 179 

weakest minds must have known to be wron^:. Of an 
infinite spiritual God he liad, we may reasonably infer, 
no clear and distinct ideas, nor of his government of 
the world. Now, it happens that all the prominent 
men of whom history speaks had their faults, and it 
has been said that the more elevated the man, the more 
glaring his infirmities. It is to the preponderance of 
good or bad acts that we must look. David and Solo- 
mon were great and good men with great faults. For 
all of them we ought to have charity. Abraham really 
believed God was making promises to him and to his 
posterity, and hence he reasoned that if he had no 
posterity the great and precious promises, of which we 
hear so much even at this late day, would be of no 
avail. These promises came to him by the utterance 
of God. Should any of us in this age hear what we 
were able to believe was God's voice, the communica- 
tion could not fail to impress us deeply. Therefore 
we do not wonder that Abraham " hearkened to the 
voice of Sarai." To censure him for taking the course 
he did would be entirely wrong. When a man cannot 
be influenced by considerations of his own best interest 
he is very likely to be reached by including with them 
those of his posterity, and coupling all with the belief 
that this posterity will be so numerous that to estimate 
or number them would be like counting the particles 
of sand on a vast sea-beach. Thus this precious pair 
concluded an arrangement by which the great progen- 



180 Religions Before Christianity, 

itor (that was to be) was to gain a family addition 
by cohabiting with the bondwoman of liis wife. 

And so, if the record be true, this good man Abra- 
ham — the only one wlio was at that time considered 
worthy to converse with God — w^as led to commit the 
detestable crime of fornication. Sarah consented to and 
connived at the commission of this sin of Abraham with 
Hagar, and encouraged him in it, believing, no doubt, 
that Abraham had really held all the conversation with 
the Lord that he pretended to have done, and that by 
tlie course she advised aid was given to the Lord (or 
God) in furtherance of his plans, in the consummation 
of his purposes. 

Genesis xvii tells us that Abraham, believing his 
race not only to be perpetual, but that they w^ere for- 
ever to constitute God's peculiar people, entertained 
the idea of adopting some outward mark of distinction, 
by which they might be know^i in all time to come. 
Having doubtless learned from some source that older 
nations had practiced the rite of circumcision, he de- 
termined to adopt it to commemorate the covenant 
with God, by which, according to this and concurrent 
promises, he w^as to bless all the families of the earth. 
At that time this blessing was thought to be partial; 
but time, enlarged views, and sober reflection have 
convinced a large portion of the Christian world that 
God is impartial. 

Abraham hears the voice of the Lord again, 



The Jewish Religion. 181 

commanding that he make a sacrificial offering of 
liis son Isaac. And on account of his preparing to 
obey the command, he received the name of " faithful." 
This story, however, has no other foundation than the 
assertion of Abraham, who was a deeply -interested 
party. While w^e do not say that his story is not true, 
we are not obliged to believe it. 

In due time a famine came upon the people of Ca- 
naan, and a detailed history is given of its effect on 
Jacob and his posterity in connection with <3.nd on 
account of it. Some allowance might be made for the 
direfulness of the story, from the straits to which Jacob 
and his party were reduced, or else the land must be 
taken as very poor and the cultivation slovenly. How- 
ever that may have been, corn was brought from Egypt 
and their hunger satisfied. The first installment of 
corn being consumed, the religious feelings of these 
Israelites, that seemed for a while to be dormant, were 
aroused, and, before starting his sons for more corn, 
Jacob asked the blessing, not of the Lord, but of "God 
Almighty." Whether this invocation was made stand- 
ing or kneeling made no difference to the Almighty s 
the prayer came from the innermost soul ; was heard 
and answered. Soon these Israelites — about seventy 
Bouls in all — find their way to Egypt, with their flocks 
and herds, and such other movable things as could be 
taken along with them. ISTothing is said about their 
being religiously inclined when they started on their 



182 Religions Before Christianity. 

journey, or while they were in Egypt; but we may 
presume they retained some of the ancestral ideas on 
tlmt subject common to the people of Chaldea, which 
naturally became mixed with Egyptian ceremonies and 
modes of worship. 

We have all along seen that emigrants take with 
them and develop in their new homes many of the 
customs and usages common in their old abode. We 
have also seen tliat parts of the great family ©f nations 
became detached, and went abroad to form new and 
younger families, thus continuing to spread over the 
face of the earth. Mr. Clarke says the different nations 
inhabiting the region around the Euphrates and Tigris, 
Syria and Arabia, belonged to one great race, which 
the Bible genealogies trace back to Shem, the son of 
Noah. Mr. Ewald believes this region was inhabited 
by an aboriginal people long before the days of Abra- 
ham — a people who were driven out by the Canaan- 
ites — but that they were a Semitic people. This view 
is strengthened by the fact that the languages of all 
these nations are closely related — ahnost dialects of a 
single tongue ; the differences between them being but 
little greater than between the subdivisions of the 
German group of languages. What has more than 
anything else contributed to preserve this homogeneity 
among these tongues is, that they possess little power 
of growth or development; and, as M. Kenan says, 
they have less lived than lasted. 



The Jewish Religion. 183 

The Phoenicians are said to have used a language 
almost identical with that of the Hebrews. This the- 
ory has received additional favor within the hist 
few years by the finding of a sarcophagus of Ezmun- 
azar, king of Sidon, dating from the fifth century be- 
fore Christ. This interesting relic, which Ib now in 
the Louvre in Paris, contains thirty sentences of pure 
Hebrew. Yet, notwithstanding this similarity ,of lan- 
guages, the religion of the Hebrews diftered widely 
from that of other nations of the same family; the 
religion of the Assyrians, Babylonians, Phoenicians, 
and Carthaginians being quite similar. 

The question may be asked, Why did the Hebrews, 
under Moses and the prophets who came after him, 
originate a system so widely different ? We answer 
Because they believed in a God who was above and 
over nature; who formed no part of a triad; whose 
worship required purity, whose aim was holiness, its 
spirit humane. 

With some propriety Judaism has been considered 
a stepping-stone to Christianity. Many of us have even 
been taught from our childhood to look upon the Old 
Testament as inspired, and therefore infallible — its 
every statement and teaching the literal word of God. 
Mohammed, as much as Moses or Abraham, was a 
monotheist. He declared for no new God, but for 
the same only living and true God whom the Hebrews 



184 Seligions Before Christianity, 

more distinctly saw in the advanced stage of their civ- 
ilization and progress. 

The Old Testament may properly enough be re- 
garded by candid and religions people as truthful He- 
brew and Jewish history, and as fairly entitled to be 
considered sacred as any of the other books we have 
previously spoken of, and in some respects more ; but 
in few cases is it regarded as infallible; for we do 
not think the doctrine of plenary inspiration can justly 
attach to the Old Testament, if it can to the New, by 
any possible straining. Mr. Clarke says : " If by a 
special revelation is meant a grand, profound insight, 
an inspired vision of truth, so deep and so living as to 
make it a reality like that of the outward world, then 
w^e see no better explanation of the monotheism of the 
Hebrews than this conviction, transmitted from Abra- 
ham through father and son, from generation to gener- 
ation. For the most curious fact about this Jewish 
people is that every one of them claims to be a child 
of Abraham." 

We have previously shown that, among all the Se- 
mitic nations, behind the numerous beings esteemed 
divine, there was dimly, though distinctly, seen one 
great infinite God above all. The existence of this 
superior being was more distinctly revealed to tlie 
minds of some than to others, and this difference of 
perception constituted their distinctive religious char- 
acters. 



The Jewish Religion. 185 

Abraham, like many others, was a faithful, though 
not an entirely truthful, man ; he had his good and 
bad qualities. That Abraham's immediate ancestors 
were idolaters has never been disputed. Ur of the 
Chaldees, where his father lived, was in the region 
now occupied by Kurds, or bands of robbers, in the 
mountainous region of Armenia, near the mouth of the 
Tigris. They w^ere a brave, warlike people; skillful 
archers, fierce in battle. The Chaldeans were noted in 
these respects in olden times, as they are now, for phys- 
ical powers and endurance. 

Somewhere in the region referred to, the personage 
designated as Melchizedek is supposed to have resided, 
exercising the functions of both king and priest, which 
was quite a common thing then ; but, more than this, 
he was a kind of judge or arbiter among the surround- 
ing tribes, who submitted to his decision as final. Al- 
though the Old Testament says nothing of this, the 
facts are well authenticated. The name given him 
denotes his official title only: '^ Melchizedek, king of 
Salem," signifies the name and residence of the officer, 
but was not the real name of the person. 

The Jewish traveler Wolff states that a custom 
similar to the above prevails in Mesopotamia at the 
present day. One sheik is selected on account of his 
superior probity and piety, and becomes their '' king of 
peace and righteousness." A like custom is also said 
to prevail among some of the American native tribes. 



186 Heligions Before Christianity. 

The God of Abraham was called the Most High, 
though he was only the family God of Abraham, of 
his tribe and descendants. Those who belonc-ed to 
this tribe could not worship any God but their own 
without becoming outlaws and false to their tribe. 

While we may consider it every man's duty to 
criticise the conduct of his fellow-men, there is a right 
spirit and a wrong one in which to do this; the motive 
is what we must take into account. We were j^laced 
here to be progressive, as learners ; to be seekers after 
knowledge; to reason, examine, and deduce; to look 
after causes and mark the effects that follow ; and, as 
our sweetest American poet SMys, "Be not like dumb, 
driven cattle." Some are by nature stupid; others 
have in them latent fires easily set burning. Trying 
to show that God has attributes which we would 
think unbecoming in a human being, has a direct ten- 
dency to corrupt our own nature. The moment we 
abate in the least his perfection of character, our great 
example is, in part at lepst, lost. No perfect being 
can be filled with wrath and fury, but rather with 
feelings of compassion, as he looks upon us frail, erring 
mortals as we are. 

There is a wide difference between examining to 
find what is ri^rht and what is wrong::, and lookins: for 
weak points, in ci pretended anxiety to ease our minds 
of disagreeable doubts, but in reality to find some 
excuse for sin, some chance to avoid doing what we 



The Jewish Religion. 187 

feel we ought to do. Let every one, then, examine 
with proper intent, praying that light may come to 
him from the one great and only Som'cc of light. The 
prime ol)ject should be to know how to act, how to 
think. Let this be om- earnest stady, and let all else 
be subservient to it. 

Now, there are certain portions of our general belief 
which we gain nothing by trying to question. There 
is 60 much more reason in the belief in a governing 
power, a directing force, which is included in the gen- 
eral term God — if not always known by the same 
name, in all cases understood as the great, supreme, 
eternal — that to deny such a being is, in a measure, 
like denying our own existence. The formation of 
matter, though going on through countless ages, had 
its conception, had its beginning. There were inherent 
laws, which we are not able to explain, so we take 
the most rational theory. The world has advanced in 
a knowledge of laws governing matter, and will con- 
tinue to do so. We find the earth, at a later period, 
peopled with humati beings. There is an attempt in 
the book of Genesis to explain the manner of the first 
appearance of mankind ; and althougli this is in a sa- 
cred book — probably taken from an old legend, possi- 
bly from an older book — we do not consider that this 
ancient theory is as much to be relied upon as that 
advanced by Darwin. The latter has some reason in 
it, the former none. To say that there was no such 



188 Religions Before Christianity. 

person as Abraham is to deny a portion of history not 
alone dependent upon the book of Genesis. And so 
of various other things that are fully established by 
concurrent testimony : as the Noachian deluge (or a 
deluge of some kind) ; the advent of Moses as a great 
leader and deliverer, his ability as a wonder-worker 
and law-giver. 

There is no fiction about the existence of such men 
as Moses and Joshua. Exaggerated stories may have 
been told of them, as to what they did and said ; there 
has been a tendency of this kind in every age. In 
cases where the truth would not excite wonder enougli, 
sufficient coloring was added to constitute a marvel. 
During the whole period of Jewish history, not only 
that nation, but many other nations, were on the con- 
stant watch to see strange sights. Getting up an appe- 
tite for wondrous things is not a hard matter. Leger- 
demain, thaumaturgy, necromancy, and like arts were 
studied then as a branch of learning, as they are now. 
To understand the tricks and deceptions these per- 
formers practice is not in the powder of the unlearned. 
Moses had one advantage over the Egyptian performers: 
his people were ready to believe that God helped him 
in all things ; for, believing Moses saw God in the burn- 
ing bush and talked with him, when Moses essayed to 
speak for God, who had sent him to be their deliverer, 
how could they deny his acts or discredit liis story ? 
Amid all their seasons of doubt and despondency, 



The Jewish Religion, 189 

the Israelites kept up a faith in God, such as it was ; 
and, notwithstanding their idolatry, they continued to 
advance from a lower to a higher state. 

During what is chronologically denominated the 
prophetic period in Jewish liistory, and from four to 
ten or eleven centuries before the birth of Christ, was 
a season of great development. The prophets were 
great lights in the Jewish path. Their magnificent 
temple at Jerusalem made them conspicuous ^mong 
other nations. In short, on various accounts, they were 
the most fitting to become the foster-mother of Chris- 
tianity. Let us, who, through Jewish descendants, 
have been blessed with signal displays of God's good- 
ness and mercy, not despise those from whom we 
sprang. They had light; we have more light: let us 
glorify God for it. Moses had very marked and con- 
tradictory peculiarities. His heart yearned toward his 
brethren — we might say he loved them ; but it was 
that stern love of the hard, rather than the soft and 
tender, kind. His impetuous nature often broke out 
against them on account of improper acts and sins of 
no small account, but sound discretion soon came to 
his aid. This was especially noticeable when the golden 
calf was made by Aaron — an act of profanation which 
so incensed Moses that his temper assumed such entire 
control of him that he broke the sacred tables of stone. 
Hnd it been impossible to make an exact copy of this 
divinely - prepared record, his sin would have fully 



190 Religions Before Christianity, 

equaled that of forming a golden calf to worship ; for 
there is no reason to think tliat the people looked 
npon such an idol as being anything more than a rep- 
resentation of God, without possessing a single attri- 
bute of his character, which thev so little understood. 

Monotheism was the foundation upon which the 
laws instituted by Moses rested. There are, however, 
different grades of that belief; some much purer and 
more consistent than others. Moses was far in advance 
of the great body of the Hebrew nation. With a mind 
more susceptible to cultivation and the highest attain- 
ments that could be re9;ched, with all the advantage 
derivable from the sources open to him, Moses was 
one of the few really great men who have shed a briglit 
luster on the world's historic page. In giving him fall 
credit for all he deserves, we do not think he was the 
originator of all the laws and ordinances that were 
given by his sanction. That they were compiled by 
him, or by some* person or persons by his authority, 
however, there is no doubt. 

Moses was not only a man of genius ; he was a 
man of profound learning. The Egyptian sacred books 
taught the spirituality of God, the immortality of the 
soul, and a judgment in the future world, beside teach- 
ing the arts and sciences. Moses knew all these books 
could teach, and made good use of his knowledge. 
Concerning the future life of which the Egyptians 
had much to say, Moses said nothing. His retribution, 



The Jewish Religion. 191 

individual and national, took place here ; though we 
infer he had an idea that actions would be examined 
and a balance taken, and this was what most of 
the nations in early times believed. If he did not 
believe in immortality, as we now term it, the reason 
might have been that he could not comprehend it ; 
and' it has been the practice of the wisest men that 
have lived on the earth not to advocate any theory, 
doctrine, or principle which they did not understand ; 
hence, it was remarked by a most profound scholar, 
that, while he believed in a God, he could not utter 
him, could not describe him. 

We have before alluded to a previous work," enti- 
tled '' Scripture Speculations," to which the reader is 
referred for many additional particulars respecting the 
Jews and tlieir religion. 



PART II. 

CHRISTIANITY. 

CHAPTER I. 

HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHY OF PALESTINE. 

In the time of Jesus, called the Christ, the coun- 
try of Palestine was known under three separate divis- 
ions — Judea, Samaria, and Galilee — with boundaries 
then well defined and established. Judea included the 
territory of the tribes of Judah, Simeon, Benjamin, 
and Dan; Samaria, that of Ephraim and the half tribe of 
Manasseh ; and Galilee, the remaining tribes of Issa- 
char, Zebulon, Asher, and Naphtali. Samaria is smaller 
in extent, but more fertile, than Judea, while Galilee 
surpasses both in fertility of soil and grandeur of 
scenery. The whole were under the Komans, and 
were ruled over by Herod, with nearly the authority 
of an independent sovereign. 

The death of Herod occurred soon after the birth 



194 Christianity, 

of JesuB ; and his empire was divided by will between 
his three sons, though not equally. To Archelaus was 
allotted Judea, with the provinces south and east of 
Judea, known then as Idumea ; to Herod Antipas, 
Galilee and the southern portion of Peraea, in the 
region beyond Jordan. That portion of Peraea which 
Antipas inherited comprised the ancient territories of 
the children of Ammon and Moab. To Herod Philip 
was allotted the northern part of Persea, including all 
the country east of Jordan which belonged to the 
half tribe of Manasseh, from Bashan, below the sea 
of Galilee, to the northern boundary of the country, 
toward Mount Hermon and Damascus. 

Prof. Lyman Coleman, in his . Bible Geography, 
from which we make copious extracts, says this terri- 
tory comprised the provinces of Gaulonitis, Iturea, and 
Trachonitis. The first extended from the east side of 
the sea of Galilee northward nearly or quite to Csesarea 
Philippi. East of Gaulonitis was Iturea, which ex- 
tended further north toward Damascus, but not so far 
south as the former province. 

Trachonitis extended from the plain south of Da- 
mascus to Bozrah, including the volcanic region of 
the Lejah, forbidding in appearance, and rent by enor- 
mous fissures in the midst of plains extremely fertile. 
This tetrarchy of Philip was mostly a high tableland, 
about two thousand five hundred feet above the sea- 
level, wdth a mild and salubrious climate ; though 



History and Geography of Palestine, 195 

once populous, it is now a deserted waste, overrun in 
the summer season with numerous herds of goats and 
camels, which come up from the great Arabian desert 
for pasturage, 

Archelaus was soon dethroned and banished to 
Gaul, and in his stead Pontius Pilate was acting as 
governor at the time of Jesus' ministry and death. 
The great festivals at Jerusalem were usually attended 
by Pilate, that order might be better preserved ; hence 
his presence at the time of Christ's trial and crucifix- 
ion. Pilate is represented as weak, timid, crafty, and 
voluptuous. 

Galilee, after the Captivity, was settled by a mixed 
race of both foreigners and Jews. Two great caravan 
routes passed through this country : one from the Eu- 
phrates, through Damascus to Egypt; the other from 
the same region to the Mediterranean coast. It was 
also near the great marts of trade and commerce. Tyre 
and Zidon. By this admixture of foreigners the Gali- 
leans had acquired a strong provincial character and 
dialect, which made them particularly obnoxious to 
the Jews. The native language was so corrupted by 
foreign idioms that a Galilean was easily detected, 
as in the speech of Peter on the night of Jesus' arrest. 
For the same reasons, however, the Galileans were less 
characterized by Jewish bigotry, and were more toler- 
ant toward the new religion, although it was a decided 
innovation of their own. On this account the greater 



196 Christianity, 

part of Jesus' public ministry, as well as that of his 
private life, was passed in Galilee, where he chose his 
disciples. His working of miracles excited less hostil- 
ity there than in Jerusalem. 

The extreme fertility of Galilee is spoken of by 
Josephus and many others, who say that within the 
space of thirty square miles there were fifteen thousand 
inhabitants in each of the two hundred towns and vil- 
lages whicli it contained. Josephus asserts that he 
raised one hundred thousand volunteers in a short 
time for the war against the Eomans. They were 
noted for bravery in their country's defense. 

Samakia was the smallest of the four provinces 
before mentioned, comprising only the principal part 
of the territory of the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh. 
The people of this province were very bitter toward 
the Galileans, being composed of tlie remnants of the 
revolted tribes. They strenuously opposed the rebuild- 
ing of the temple, and erected an altar at Mount Ger- 
izim. The sacred books of the Jews were rejected 
by them. Their religion was a mixture of Judaism 
and Pai>:anism. To the Jews the term Samaritan was 
suggestive of reproach. They accused Jesus of being 
a Samaritan and having a devil. 

JuDEA. — This division included the tribe of Benja- 
min on the north, and extended south to the bound- 
aries of ancient Palestine; it was larger than either 
of the preceding divisions, having for a long time been 



History and Geography of Palestine. 197 

the particular land of the Jews. This hilly region was 
less fertile than Galilee, though some portions were 
highly productive. It was the place for holding the 
great yearly festivals ; the seat of their religion ; here 
was the temple. Here the Jew felt most emphatically 
that he was the seed of Abraham, the favorite of 
Heaven ; he blindly observed the rites of his religion 
without regard to the purity of its principles, looking 
down with proud contempt upon all foreigners. These 
remarks are made with particular reference to the 
times of Jesus' public ministry and death, when Pon- 
tius Pilate was governor of Judea, and reluctantly 
allowed the Jews to crucify the good man — the same 
whom Christians now say the Jewish prophets fore- 
told and expected. 

Nazareth. — Considerable portions of the time, for 
nearly thirty years, Nazareth was the residence of 
Jesus, and many contend that it was his birthplace. 
It lies about sixty-five miles north of Jerusalem, be- 
tween which and Nazareth are Bethel, Shiloh, and 
Samaria. The plain of Esdraelon stretches from Jor- 
dan on the east, thirty miles westward to the Medit- 
erranean, and from the mountains of Samaria to lower 
Galilee. No mention is made of such a place in the 
Old Testament, and but little is said of it in the New 
in connection with Jesus' life and ministry. The peo- 
ple of that city had no faith in him, and gave no credit 
to the miracles he was said to have performed. Jesus 



198 Christianity. 

himself tacitly acknowledged that he was born there 
by saying, when referring to tlieir want of faith, that 
"a prophet was not without honor save in his own 
country and among his own kinsfolk.'' 

The valley in which the town of Nazareth is situ- 
ated is deeply embosomed in the hills of lower Galilee, 
and is about eight hundred feet above the sea-level. 
Its entire length is stated to be not more than seven 
hundred yards, with a breadth of three hundred. On 
the east, north, and west are abrupt elevations ; these 
are higher on the north than on the west, some of the 
mountains being five hundred feet in height. The 
houses are built of stone, which is the material princi- 
pally used in Palestine. They are generally two sto- 
ries high, with very thick walls, which are intended 
to guard, in a measure, against injury from earthquakes. 
The roofs are flat; hence the mention so often made 
of going up to and coming down from the housetop. 
But few buildings in the town are imposing. Living 
fountains and unfailing wells were not so plenty as 
to prevent the necessity of carrying water a consider- 
able distance by many families; We find much to 
corroborate this in both the Old and New Testaments, 
as in the carrying of water in pitchers and pots by the 
maidens. 

Mr. Brown, in his Encyclopedia, says that Nazareth 
was the usual residence of Jesus for nearly thirty years, 
where he lived subject to the commands of Joseph 



History and Geography of Palestine. 199 

and Mary, and therefore was entitled to be called a 
Nazarene. Occasionally he preached there. But the 
meanness of his origin caused him to be looked upon 
with disfavor by the people. On account of their lack 
of faith in his power to perform miracles, even after 
his work in that dh'ection had begun, he left Naza- 
reth, and fixed his abode at Capernaum, where he lived 
most of the time during the latter part of his life. Naz- 
areth is described by Mr. Brown as situated upon an 
eminence, on one side of which was a precipice, from 
w^hence the people sought to cast Jesus down because 
he upbraided them for their incredulity. A modern 
traveler says it is one of the principal towns in the 
Pashalic of Acre, containing about three thousand 
inhabitants, about five hundred of whom are Turks, 
the remainder Christians. 

The Wilderness. — This was a desolate region lying 
between the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and 
the plains of Jordan, extending along the river Jordan 
and the Dead Sea, and is believed to have been the 
place where John the Baptist began his ministry and 
the administration of his particular rite; where Jesus 
was baptized by him, and where he continued for forty 
days and nights, fasting and praying. The region is 
bare, bleak, and dreary, covered with yellow rocks and 
gray sand. No trees are to be seen. A few shrubs 
are found in the slopes and dells. It is mentioned 
in Scripture as the wilderness of Judea. Mr. Coleman 



200 Christianity. 

Bays the country was not entirely destitute of the means 
of Bubsistence, and that the food of John, and doubtless 
of Jesus, also, was what the desert is known to have 
afforded — locusts, and wild honey from the rocks. 
Josephus informs us that he himself subsisted in a 
similar manner for three years in this wilderness, having 
had no other food than what grew of its own accord. 
Against this direct and reliable authority we are asked 
to believe that Jesus lived in this same locality for 
the space of forty days without any food, fasting and 
praying. Tradition, Mr. Coleman says, assigns the 
place where this long period of fasting was spent, but 
he does not intimate that it was the place; so we are 
invited by him to infer that the story, like many others, 
is only mythical. 

Mach^kus. — This was the place where the palace 
of Herod was located. It is to the east of the Dead 
sea, above the hot springs of Callirrohoe, eight or nine 
miles from the sea, and about fifteen from the outlet 
of the Jordan. About fifty years since, its ruins were 
discovered, still imposing and extensive, on the summit 
of a lofty rock with precipitous sides, and surrounded 
by a deep chasm, making it inaccessible, except at 
one point by a high bridge. Josephus says it could 
not be easily ascended, ditched about as it was on all 
sides with valleys, the bottoms of which the eye could 
hardly reach, and which it was not possible to fill up 
with earth or pass over ; for the valley that cuts it off 



History and Geograjphy of Palestine, 201 

on the west extends threescore furlongs, and does not 
end till it reaches the lake Asphaltis. Lieut. Lynch 
found the walls of this chasm near the hot springs still 
standing, over one hundred feet apart, lofty and per- 
pendicular; they were composed of red and yellow 
sandstone, and presented a majestic and imposing ap- 
pearance. Through this chasm rushes with great 
velocity a stream of hot water twelve feet wide and 
ten inches deep. This stream is supplied by many 
springs, gushing out their heated waters along the line 
of the chasm for three or four miles. The existence 
of these hot springs and the volcanic rocks which 
abound in this region give unmistakable evidence of 
its volcanic character. John the Baptist was impris- 
oned and executed at this place. 

Jacob's Well. — This well was situated a short dis- 
tance from the foot of Mount Gerizim. It was here 
that Jesus stopped to rest on his journey from Jerusa- 
lem to Shechem, and where he met the Samaritan 
woman who came there to draw water. This well, 
which is supposed to have been a work of the patri- 
arch Jacob, was a perpendicular shaft extending into 
the ground over one hundred feet. It has recently 
been filled up by the envious Arabs. 

Caper >q^AUM. — This place was on the northwest 
shore of Genesareth, fifteen miles northeast of Cana. 
For a time it was the residence of Jesus. The inhab- 
itants are represented as having been slow to credit 



202 Christianity. 

the substantial nature of his miracles, on which account 
he denounced them, and predicted their moral ruin. 
Its length is thirty stadi, with a breadth of twenty 
stadi. Dr. Robinson found on the coast, neat the 
northern limits of Gennesar, by a large fountain, the 
remains of an ancient city, which he supposes to have 
been Capernaum. Kuins of an ancient city were also 
discovered by a later traveler, who supposed them to 
have been the site of Capernaum and Bethsaida. The 
exact locality, relatively to other places, could not be 
ascertained. The city is now in ruins, and the place 
is recognized with difficulty. North of Tiberias, and 
about midway of the coast, the hills form a kind of 
triangular plain, of great beauty and fertility, four 
miles in length and two in breadth, which constitutes 
the ancient land of Gennesaret. The country now 
known as Gennesar extends along the lake. It is re- 
markable both for its fertility and beauty. Trees of 
all kinds not indigenous to the soil are planted with 
success; the climate appearing congenial to trees and 
shrubs of all ?kinds. Walnut trees, which require a 
cold climate, and the native palm, olive, and fig trees, 
requiring heat, are all seen growing, alike thrifty, near 
each other. Fruits of almost every variety are not 
only produced in great abundance, but they are, for a 
comparatively long time, kept from decay. Grapes 
and figs, and fruits generally, are in plentiful supply 



History and Geography of Palestine. 203 

for ten months in the year without intermission ; some 
kinds during the entire year. 

Chorazin is assumed to have been the place now 
known by the name of Tel-hun ; it is about four miles 
north of Capernaum, at the northwest angle of the 
lake, at which point are found extensive mines. Sev- 
eral reasons are assigned for assuming this to be the 
site of Chorazin. Bethsaida was probably north of 
Capernaum. 

Sea of Galilee, or Tiberias. — This sea is really a 
wide expanse of the Jordan, running through a deep 
valley surrounded by mountains rising on the east, 
near the water's edge, by a steep ascent, to the height 
of ten or twelve hundred feet. On the west the eleva- 
tions are broken hills merely. In some places small 
but very fertile plains extend along the shores of this 
lake, or sea, which is about twelve miles long and five 
broad. The w^aters are pure, and abound with fish. 
Navigation on this lake is by no means of the safest 
kind, on account of the strong and sudden gusts of 
wind which prevail. But few boats are at present 
found upon it. The rocks are mostly limestone, with 
a volcanic appearance. On the southwest and south- 
east shores are several hot springs. This lake is sup- 
posed by some to occupy the crater of an extinct 
volcano. The surface of the lake is calculated to be 
from six hundred to seven hundred feet below the level 
of the Mediterranean. Tiberias is the only town on 



204: Christianity. 

the lake, and is renowned from having been built by 
Herod. It is now mostly in ruins. In summer the 
heat is oppressive and the climate unhealthy. Early 
grapes and vegetables are cultivated with profit for 
the Damascus market. The landscape has much at- 
tractive beauty. To the approaching traveler the view 
from several points is beautiful in the extreme. Culti- 
vation extends some distance up the mountain sides 
from the plains along the shore. Few, if any, places 
made memorable for being the scene of events recorded 
in the New Testament are regarded with more vener- 
ation by devout Christians than this, from its having 
been hallowed by the presence and ministry of the 
great author of our salvation. 

Around the sea of Galilee is the coast of Magdala, 
the land of Gennesaret, upon the site of Chorazin, 
Bethsaida, and Capernaum, where most of Jesus' mighty 
works were done. Jerusalem and its environs are 
alone richer in interesting associations than this re- 
gion. 

Decapolis. — This place was the designation of 
several cities south of the sea of Galilee and easterly 
of the Jordan, inhabited mostly by pagans. Some of 
these cities were separated by a considerable distance, 
yet they all had certain common rights and privileges 
and mutual affinities. Although under neither the 
jurisdiction of Herod nor Philip, they were yet sub- 
ject to the Koman power; hence the security Jesus 



History and Geography of Palestine. 205 

and his followers enjoyed in this region, and the reason 
why they so loved to linger in this beautiful retreat, 
a\Yay from the persecuting power which the Jews, 
with the aid of Herod, were anxious to exercise. Gard- 
ara, Scythopolis, Pella, Gerasa, Abila, Capitolias, 
Canatha and Philadelphia are included in the cities 
of the Decapolis. The miraculous feeding of the four 
thousand was near the sea of Galilee. 

Magdala, the native place of Mary Magdalene, 
was situated about four miles above Tiberias, at the 
southern extremity of the fertile plain of Gennesa- 
ret. 

Hermon. — Mount Hermon is computed to be ten 
thousand feet in height. The view from its summit, 
while gazing on the extensive panorama and looking 
down on the deeply-depressed waters of the sea of 
Galilee, is grand in the extreme. A narrow valley, 
plainly traceable, marks the course of the Jordan, on 
the lelt of which are the hills of Gilead. Extending 
far eastward is the land of Bashan ; on the north, the 
parallel ridges of Lebanon. At the eastern base of 
Anti- Lebanon is a broad plain, through which flow 
the rivers Abana and Pharpar, near the city of Damas- 
cus. The ruins of what are thought to have been a 
temple and an altar, consisting of huge stones hewn 
and beveled, apparently of great antiquity, have been 
discovered on the summit of Mount Hermon. 

jBethany is now a poor village of not more than 



206 Christianity, 

twenty families. It is on the southeastern declivity of 
the Mount of Olives, in a little valley about one mile 
southeast of Jerusalem. 

Calvary. — Mr. Coleman says that the exact loca- 
tion of this place has never been fixed, and is not 
likely to be in time to come. Some have thought 
that it was near the eastern gate of the city, above the 
road leading to Gethsemane, where the martyr Stephen 
yielded up his life, and w^ho, like his Divine Master, 
asked that his executioners might be forgiven. 

C^SAREA. — Frequent mention is made of this place 
in the Acts of the Apostles. Its location is about 
thirty-five miles north of Joppa, twenty-five miles 
south of Mount Carmel, and fifty-five miles northwest 
of Jerusalem. Herod the Great was the founder. In 
the building of this city an immense sum was expended. 
By the aid of a breakwater the harbor was so con- 
structed as to contain and protect a small fleet against 
the storms that rage on that coast. The work was 
done with great thoroughness by sinking large stones, 
w^hich had been brought from a great distance, to the 
depth of a hundred and twenty feet. In addition to 
this, Herod added a temple, a theater, and an amphi- 
theater, with many splendid buildings, constituting it 
tlie capital of Judea, and adopting it as his own place 
of residence. After him it became the residence oi 
the Roman governors, under whom it w^as a large and 
thriving metropolis, though now^ in ruins. Extensive 



History and Geography of Palestine. 207 

foundatious, arches, pillars and other building mate- 
rials cover a large space, all showing plainly that they 
are the ruins of a city more ancient than that of Herod 
or Strabo, of which the name and age are alike un- 
known. These ruins are now the abodes of wild 
beasts. 

JoppA. — This constitutes the seaport of Jerusalem, 
and is about thirty miles northwesterly from the city. 
From the beach the land rises somewhat abruptly, but 
to no great height, and is supported by successive 
terraces. Buildings extend quite up to these eleva- 
tions. The roofs are flat. Late travelers inform us 
that no inns are to be found there, and that those who 
visit the place are obliged to seek shelter under their 
own tents without the city, where they make their 
meals from fruits, with other ordinary articles of food, 
of which there are an abundance. 

The present Joppa, or some other occupying about 
the same site, tradition says, existed long before the 
flood ; the devastation of which it is said to have 
survived, and to have been peopled again by Japhet, 
the son of J^oah, and his posterity. Certain it is that 
it dates back beyond the remotest period of recorded 
history. In the long lapse of ages gone by, countless 
generations of men have lived and passed away, to be 
seen no more until the great day of accounts when 
all the dead shall come forth. Thus sweeps on the 
relentless tide of life. One generation passes, and 



208 Christianity. 

another succeeds it, like the ocean waves that roll on 
and on without a stop. The morning dawns, noonday 
splendor appears, then tlie storms come, the evening 
approaches, darkness and death succeed, and our bod- 
ies return to the dust from whence they came. 

Joppa was a city of tlie Philistines, and a place of 
note, more than fifteen hundred years before the birth 
of Jesus. Materials for constructing both the first and 
second temples at Jerusalem were obtained through 
the port of Joppa. Jonah repaired to this port, from 
near Nazareth, to take ship that he might " flee from 
the presence of the Lord unto Tarshish," as the Bible 
account says, though it sounds strangely enough when 
we stop to consider it. It was in this city that Peter 
fell into a trance and was induced to yield his beliei 
that the Gospel was for the Jews only, and to begin 
at once to preach to the Gentiles. Some of the peo- 
ple in Joppa pretend to point out the place where 
Peter was when he saw the vision. 

Phoenicia. — This region of countr}^, sometimes called 
Phenice, extends from the neighborhood of Mount 
Carmel about one hundred miles to the northward, 
partly along the Mediterranean coast, and the base or 
western slope of Mount Lebanon, to near the summit 
of Lebanon, some distance in the interior. Tyre and 
Zidoii form the central and most populous portion of 
Phoenicia. Mr. Coleman says : " The mountains tow- 
ering to the regions of perpetual snow and ice, with 



History and Geography of Palestine. 209 

the graceful sweep of their waving summits, sloping 
sides ; and mountain dells covered with the deepest 
verdure adapted to every climate, from Alpine forests 
to tropical suns ; and the ocean, sleeping at its base or 
lashed into fury by the tempest — form a succession of 
goodly prospects so grand, so beautiful, so endlessly 
diversified as to charm the dullest eye, and kindle into 
poetic fervor the coldest heart. Numberless streams 
flow down to fertilize the narrow plain of the coast, 
and open harbors for a boundless commerce." " Phoe- 
nicia was settled soon after the Deluge, and became 
the earliest and most renowned commercial region of 
antiquity. When the Israelites conquered this country, 
the coast was occupied by powerful maritime towns, 
which, though given to the Jews for an inheritance, 
maintained their independence through all the vicissi- 
tudes and aggressions of the Jewish nation." 

Paul^ the Persecutor. — This man, among others 
who have figured conspicuously in the world's history 
by participating, in one way or another, in important 
events, deserves some mention here. His birth took 
place about the same time as that of Jesus, in the city 
of Tarsus, a city of Cilicia. Like other bigoted Phari- 
sees, he was entirely destitute of charity, as well as 
of all the finer feelings that shine forth with so much 
beauty to relieve the dark shades found in the life of 
every human being. He was known extensively as 
Saul of Tarsus, an unrelenting persecutor of the early 



210 Christianity. 

Christians. No cruelty was too great for liim to prac- 
tice, no affliction too severe for him to put upon the 
humble followers of Jesus. Saul's rage knew no bounds, 
his vengeance had no limit. As a pattern of religious 
intolerance he stands out in bold relief. But for his 
conduct and that of some other persecutors, the world 
would never have known to what extremes the blind- 
ness of fanaticism could lead men. Those meek Chris- • 
tians who suffered from his persecutions were, of all 
men that ever lived, the most inoffensive. Theirs was 
the young and early love, pure and trustful. Jewish 
bigotry could not brook such simple, unostentatious 
devotion. Saul, therefore, urged on by command and 
inclination, went forward scattering misery in his path. 

JPaul^ the Aj^ostle of Jesus of JSTazarethj is quite 
another man, shining out in a different character. 
Like many others who contain under a rough outside 
covering the really brilliant diamond, Paul in due 
time shed forth an effulgence that astonished the world. 
With a banner on which was inscribed "Jesus," Paul 
was dauntless. His purer nature was brave, in the 
highest sense of that term : that is, he was brave in a 
moral sense. Men trained to war are brave in another 
way. They have no higher conception of human 
life than its uses : to maintain power, to conquer, to 
cast down, or to build up. Paul valued his life in so 
far as it gave him power to do, to act, to accomplish, 
to shed light, to foster and guard the most estimable 



History and Geograjphy of Palestine. 211 

of all things^trutli. Of all tlie briglit stars of Chris- 
tianity, Jesus only excepted, Paul stands forth pre- 
eminent. As he says, among all the apostles he was 
not a whit behind the best. 

Corinth. — In wealth and commerce, as well as in 
luxury and licentiousness, Corinth rivaled Athens; nor 
was she much inferior in the fine arts. Her situation 
was on the isthmus of the Peloponnesus, about fifty 
miles west of Athens, guarded and defended by the 
lofty Auopolis, which is elevated two thousand feet 
above the main part of the city. Only a few miserable 
dwellings now remain where stood the famous city of 
Corinth. Deep interest is felt by all travelers in its 
ruins. 

Antioch was situated on the Orontes, three hundred 
miles north of Jerusalem, and twenty miles from the 
Mediterranean. It was there the disciples of Jesus 
were first called Christians. Next after Rome and 
Alexandria, this was the largest city of the Roman 
empire; and in luxury, licentiousness^ and every vice, 
including idolatry, was not surpassed. The inhabitants 
numbered from 150,000 to 200,000. The city had 
four wards, each ward being inclosed by a separate 
wall, and all within the inclosure of a common wall. 
For a suburb it had Daphne, celebrated for its forest 
of laurels and cypress, embracing a circumference of 
ten miles, forming an impenetrable shade in the heat 
of summer, and being rendered still more delightful 



212 Christianity. 

by fountains and numerous streams of pure water. 
Antiocli was celebrated for its refinement in the arts 
and the cultivation of literature, and for its learned 
men. Paul was a frequent visitor to this luxurious, 
dissolute and idolatrous city, and made it for many 
years the center of his missionary labors. This city 
suffered greatly in former times by war, pestilence, and 
earthquakes. History tells us that in the sixth century 
not less than two hundred and fifty thousand persons 
were destroyed by an earthquake. Portions of an old 
Koman wall, from thirty to fifty feet in height, and 
fifteen feet in thickness, with towers at short intervals, 
for the occupancy of soldiers, are still standing. 

CiLiciA formed the port of Antioch ; it was sixteen 
and a half miles distant from it by land, and five miles 
north of the mouth of the Orontes. The distance from 
Antioch to this port by water, owing to the winding 
course of the river, was forty miles. The town was 
situated on a rocky eminence overlooking the harbor 
and a large extent of country toward the west. Re- 
mains of an inner and outer harbor are easily traced 
by the large stones by which it is indicated; some 
of these are twenty feet in length and five or six 
feet in breadth. The work was in such a state of pres- 
ervation, says a late traveler, as to admit of being put 
in order without a very large outlay. 

Cyprus. — This island lies at a distance of about 
one hundred miles from the Syrian coast, and fifty 



History and Geography of Palestine. 213 

miles from Cilicia. It is one hundred and forty miles 
in length, with a breadth of not more than fifty miles 
at any point. Portions of the surface are remarkably 
fertile ; the northerly part is mountainous, yielding 
abundant supplies of timber and mineral productions. 

Salamis is a large city by the seashore, spreading 
over considerable surface, but thinly populated. 

IcojsriiJM lies ninety miles south of Antioch, in an 
extended plain in the interior of Asia Minor, sur- 
rounded by lofty mountains, some of which are covered 
with perpetual snow. 

In a large portion of this chapter we have followed 
the plan of that able writer, Mr. Coleman ; taking the 
places in the same order he has given them, and, in a 
measure, adopting his ideas. As a reason for this, we 
have only to say that this part of his work, entitled 
"Text-Book and Atlas of Biblical Geography," is of 
he most interesting character, ably and truthfully 
gotten up. 

Many other places in the country known as Pales- 
tine that are mentioned in the ]^ew Testament writings 
as being in some way connected with the life and mis- 
* sion of Jesus and his apostles might be spoken of, did 
the limits of this work permit. 



CHAPTER II. 

INTRODUCTORY TO CHRISTIANITY. 

We believe the New Testament to be, in its 
general scope, correct and truthful ; but still we think 
that, in passing through the hands of incompetent and 
fallible men, mistakes have, by ignorance or design, 
been made. The Old Testament, or Jewish history, 
we intend to regard with that degree of favor to 
which it is entitled. Through it w^e can understand 
the religious views of the people from whom the 
Christian nations are, iu part, at least, descended. It 
cannot be denied that, with all their faults and bitter 
opposition to Jesus, the Jews opened the way to Chris- 
tianity. 

Our highest estimate of the New Testament will 
not come up to its real merits. On the other hand, 
nothing is gained by claiming for that or anything 
else more than it deserves. Collectively, it may well 
be called a priceless gift from God to man, through 



Introductory to Christianity. 215 

his partially inspired servants.. Only in the voice of 
nature and providence do wo hear God's real utter- 
ances. What we learn from man is communicated 
throngli earthly mediums, and is liable in passing to 
be corrupted. Therefore it would be improper to 
claim that the New Testament Scriptures are all the 
inspired word of God. 

The learned scholar Edward Clodd says : Chris- 
tians believe that the Bible is the work of men espe- 
cially helped by God to reveal truths needful for us 
to know, and which none of us could ever have found 
out for himself, and that it is free from the errors and 
defects which, every other book contains; which is 
precisely the case with the Brahma,ns concerning the 
Yeda, and with the Mussulmans concerning the Ko- 
ran. He says it is well to inquire whether we have 
any surer proof of the truth of our book than the 
Brahman has of his. By neglecting to make this in- 
quiry we obviously shrink from comparing one with 
the other, lest the truths which our own contains 
become less dear to us. 

Mr. Clodd continues : There are certain facts in 
regard to the Bible, which are . more or less known, 
but are much overlooked, upon which all proof as to 
its value must forever rest. The first is, that the Bible 
was produced like any other book: men wrote it. It 
is made up of a number of works of the most varied 
kind : history, poem, proverb, prophecy, epistle ; writ- 



216 Christianity. 

ten by both learned 3.nd unlearned men, many of 
them unknown to one another, since they lived in 
different lands, and centuries apart. Each, as he wrote 
his history or poured forth his song, little thought it 
would form part of a book destined to be precious to 
millions of people in future ages; which would be 
found alike in the cottage of the peasant and in the 
palace of the king ; which would be woven into the 
literature of the scholar and the talk of the street ; 
which would mingle in all the griefs and cheerfulness 
of life ; blessing us when we are born, rejoicing with 
us in our prosperity, sympathizing with our mourning, 
and giving names to half of Christendom — a book, in 
fine, every portion of which would be regarded as of 
equal value, whether it be the book of Esther or the 
Epistle to the Romans. Not only did men write, but 
men also collected and arranged, its separate books 
together. The books of the Old Testament were com- 
piled by the Jews; when, or by whom among them, 
is not known. That ancient people guarded them with 
jealous care. 

The books of the New Testament were chosen 
from many others, and assumed their present form 
about the end of the second century after Christ; but 
men and churches have differed much, and still differ, 
as to which books should be left out and which ad- 
mitted. Not only did men write the several books of 
the Bible and collect them into one volume : Tnen also 



Introductory to Christianity. 217 

translated them into our own and other tongues, doing 
in the case of our translation a great and noble work, 
filled with the richness, simplicity and power of our 
sweet mother-tongue before cramped and stilted words 
of Latin origin were introduced into it. "Words printed 
in italics are not in the original manuscripts, but were 
added by our translators to complete the sense, al- 
though they in some cases obscure it. 

Now, no one pretends that the men who collected 
the books together were inspired by God to do it, as 
in that case they could not leave out the right books 
and put in the wrong ones; nor is it pretended that 
the men who translated the Bible were inspired, for 
then they could not give a wrong meaning to the Greek 
or Hebrew language in changing it into our own or 
any other tougue. We must, therefore, pass to the 
men who wrote the books, and who, it is commonly be- 
lieved, were inspired by God to write them, and were 
preserved by him from all error in their work. 

Some few believe that every word, every syllable 
and every letter in the Bible is the direct utterance of 
God; others, that the writers were kept from error 
while revealing his will, but not when speaking upon 
matters of history, science, etc. If any manuscripts 
ever existed which were the work of men thus helped, 
we have no true copies of them, since the oldest manu- 
scripts differ in important details. It is said the Bible 
writers claim to speak the very words of God, and for 



218 Christianity. 

that reason we should listen to them with obedient 
hearts and trustful souls. 

The Scriptures bear traces of the long years through 
which they were slowly growing, book by book. la 
the earlier pages we find legends like those of the 
nations with whom the Jews were connected by race, 
or with whom they came in contact. We find there 
ideas about God that are coarse and degrading. Inspi- 
ration dwelt in those earnest ones whose yearnings 
after the unseen found utterance in Bible, Rig -Veda, 
Zend-Avesta, Tripataka, King, and Koran ; and it 
dwells in earnest souls to-day wherever the love of 
truth abides. In whatever written or spoken word or 
sound of many-voiced nature we find that which speaks 
to our hearts as true, there is " an inspired truth." 

True and vital piety is not confined, to any single 
class of religionists. Faith in God is not only univer- 
sal with all who claim to be Christians, but is so with 
nearly every human being. There are many varieties 
of this faith, growing out of true and false ideas of 
God's character. Some contend that God sent his 
son into the world to redeem, purify and save every 
soul in it, and reconcile all to himself; free them from 
Adam's sin and all other sin that has been, may or 
can be committed. Such as these say God is able to 
save allj desires to save all^ and therefore will save 
and bring all to a higher and holier state, ever to sing 
praises forever at his right hand. This is called God's 



Introductory to Christianity. 219 

impartial grace, or the Abraliamic faith. What a 
glorious faith, what a sublime contemplation ! Think 
of a whole world saved, redeemed, regenerated, and 
made happy in God's presence forever ! Not a soul 
lost, and the old Adversary himself destroyed; God 
conquering the Devil, instead of the Devil's getting 
the better of God, and holding through all eternity a 
large portion of the human race in the most awful 
torments. 

There are others who exult in the faith of a vica- 
rious atonement ; assuming, first, that Adam and Eve, 
after being put in the Garden of Eden, with nothing 
to do but enjoy themselves, pick and eat berries, and 
other fruit, were foolish enough to eat an apple from 
a tree which the Lord told them not to touch ; by which 
act they laid themselves and all their posterity liable 
to the pains of hell forever ; from which there was no 
possible way of escape but for God to reconcile himself 
to himself, on account of this sin of Adam, by begetting 
a son and sending him into the world, who, after 
preaching awhile, must suffer death on the cross at the 
hands of his own people. By this means, and this 
only, could God manage to save a single soul. And 
then those he would save were saved, and all the rest 
were reprobated, according to John Calvin. Was there 
ever anything so strange and shocking ? And what 
makes it all the more wonderful is that God should 
put Adam and Eve into this dangerous garden while 



220 Christianity. 

lie himself conceived and executed this plan of salva- 
tion for all men, not for a p^Crt. 

The more earnestly we inquire, the more our 
thoughts are centered on the one important fact that 
there is an Omnipotent Povs^er ; that we have a Heaven- 
Father, a directing force ; a great fountain of goodness, 
of love and purity — the more certain it will appear 
that there is a a river of God flowing constantly, water- 
ing the soul of every one who is athirst and will drink. 
The sense of gratitude every one should feel for a gift 
so precious cannot be expressed by words. Scarcely 
can the most lively emotions of the heart compass it. 
This broad river is not a fitful stream, rising high at 
one time and at another dried-up and gone. From it 
we can draw a full supply every hour, every day. 
What a cheering thought, wliat a pleasing theme, upon 
which we can dwell forever, and which alone should 
inspire us to press on in the path of duty, in the way 
of holiness and peace ! Following it we shall be led 
into all truth ; but reason is needed as a guide. With- 
out that we are ever unsafe. 

The doctrine we contend for, if doctrine it can be 
called, is the universal brotherhood of man; the doc- 
trine of God's impartial grace, of his sole government 
and power ; that he is the eternal^ invisible, incompre- 
hensible, unknown God, full of mercy and kindness, 
but who will by no means clear the guilty, and yet 
will not inflict, on any, eternal punishment, which could 



Introductory to Christianity. 221 

in no possible way redound to his glory or be produc- 
tive of the least good to any part of the creatures he 
has made. If God sent his only son for the benefit of 
the whole world, to save the whole world, and if he 
loses one half or more, does he accomplish what he 
aimed to do ? The plan of salvation, as it is called, 
was for the whole; if it takes any, it must take all. 
To say that some are not willing to be saved is no 
argument against the theory we set up — that no one 
is or can be condemned for the apple-eating transac- 
tion. The sins we ourselves commit are what will 
trouble us ; it is from them we want absolution. 
Adam's sin will never be laid to our charge, if sin he 
committed when he did not know good from evil. 
Adam had no information about the vile thing called 
a snake. 

This taking away of sin by propitiatory sacrifice 
was an old dogma thousands of years before Adam 
came upon the earth ; and though the Bible has much 
to say about it, there is no way to reconcile it with 
human jurisprudence; there is neither justice nor rea- 
son in one man's suffering for another ; and especially 
is there no sense in the suffering of an infinite God 
that he might forgive his creatures for the sins they 
had committed against him. The idea of the advent 
of Jesus, the theory of his life and teaching, were not 
that all were condemned for the sin of Adam or any 
one else, but for sinning against that high and holy 



222 Christia7iity. 

law written on every one's heart and conscience. The 
law of Moses was very important at the time he gave 
it to the Jews, and is now, and will so remain forever. 
The same, in substance, was given long before Moses, 
but it is not the less valuable on that account. All 
may thank God that they can read his perfect law 
without a printed book. One edition of it can be read 
in the heavens above, and one in our hearts. If the 
Bible, and every other book, were burned, we could 
easily tell what our duty was. "With a desire to do 
right there would be little danger of going astray. 

Religion is homage paid to some being, person, or 
thing; a reverence for a God or gods; the recognition 
of God as an object of worship, love, and obedience; 
any system of faith and worship ; piety, sanctity. Re- 
ligion is a high sense of moral obligation, a spirit of 
reverence or worship which affects the heart of man 
with regard to Deity. Piety is shown in the feelings 
of a child toward a parent, and is the first outcropping 
of religion in the human soul. Yencration and love 
come under the head of religion, but more especially 
when bestowed on the great Father of us all — God. 
In the truest sense it is the worship of God in such 
form as seems to each individual most fitting: and 
proper. 

With the hope that we shall hereafter be gathered 
together in a region of peace, of rest, of joy, we should 
strive to walk uprightly, and every possible effort 



Introductory to Christianity. 223 

should be made to live while here such a life that the 
remembrance of it may be sweet. There can be no 
comfort in reflecting on a life of sin and folly. We 
have a battle to tight that begins with our earliest 
capacity to discriminate between good and evil; and 
it lasts as long as life lasts. Blessed indeed is he who 
conquers: he shall eat the hidden manna of the heart. 
It is wrong to cavil at unimportant things, or object 
to words and terms which on their face appear incon- 
sistent. While here we see only in part — cannot dis- 
cern how we can bear the image of God, or how he 
can be considered a person — and yet it is quite natural 
we should so speak, when we know as well as we can 
know anything that God is a spirit, and, though he 
may be able at times to assume a temporal form, the 
spirit is what we mean. The Hebrews were strong 
believers in theophany, and seem to have adhered to 
that belief partially, if not fully. And this idea helped 
confirm the Christians in the belief that Jesus as a 
God could show himself in bodily form after his tem- 
poral death. 

We are apt to forget how recently in our era was 
the invention of the printing-press — viz., toward the 
middle of the fifteenth centmy — or how much care 
and labor had to be bestowed on the manuscripts in 
use twenty centuries ago. And still more diflScult is 
it to realize the great liability to errors in manuscripts. 
Now, with all the rewriting and careful revising of 



224: Christianity. 

written pages, they are seldom free from errors. It is 
not till printing is carefully done, with the most pains- 
taking reading and correction of first and second proofs, 
that errors are entirely eradicated, if indeed such be 
the case even then. The vocation of scribe was a re- 
sponsible and difficult one. Having a perfect copy to 
work from gave no certainty that the new copy would 
be an exact transcript of the old. 

Labor of all kinds was cheap two thousand years 
ago, the average compensation being only about a 
penny a day. But for this cheapness libraries as large 
as that at Alexandria could not have been so fully 
supplied. It may be fairly inferred that, from the 
time of Alexander's conquests, knowledge was more 
eagerly sought in what was then designated the whole 
world than it had been for many centuries before. 
This desire to know all that was valuable rendered 
the promulgation of new ideas and the spread of new 
thoughts, as mind became developed, much easier than 
they would otherwise have been. The liberality dis- 
played by Alexander the Great in his new city, more 
famous in some respects than Jerusalem itself, opened 
a wide door for progress. 

In order to obtain a proper conception of the value 
of the writings concerning the life of Jesus, and of the 
scriptures or books deemed sacred, as we have them 
now in the New Testament, we must take the fore- 
going remarks into account. 



Introductory to Christianity. 225 

The term of Jesus' ministry is variously estimated 
by different writers, but all agree that it was brief; 
ana on that account what he did say could be more 
easily remembered, though at most imperfectly. Such 
teachings and conversations were spoken of by those 
present to others who were not hearers, and by them 
in turn to others still. In this way the new, and, to 
most of the people, strange, doctrine became the main 
topic of conversation. All was treasured up in faithful 
and honest hearts, and the narrators intended at all 
times to relate truthfully the different stories that came 
to them ; but if they were not more careful eighteen 
hundred years ago than people are now in carrying 
information correctly from mouth to mouth, tliere might 
have been great unintentional changes made. State- 
ments are given to us as to what was said by parties 
interested, when no one else could have been present, 
which, however improbable they may appear, we are 
asked to believe not only as true, but as a part of what 
we must at all times consider to be the express word 
of God, an infallible record. 

The Epistles come to us in a much more authentic 
shape ; they w^ere to be sent abroad, and therefore were 
written out in full, and the copy was examined by the 
author. They were wTitten in a language generally 
conceded to have been Hebraistic Greek, which was 
chiefly used by the Jews during the first century ; and 
biblical scholars mostly agree that a large part, if not 



226 Christianity. 

all, of the New Testament, in its earliest and imperfect 
form, was written during the first and second centuries. 
Prof. Stowe does not contend for the inspiration of 
these writings, but for the credibility of the writers as 
men, and their competency as far as testimony is con- 
cerned. This is especially asked for Matthew, Mark, 
and John, and for Luke as a compiler (for that is all 
he is claimed to be). Certainly they gave proof of 
simplicity as well as of honesty, inasmuch as their 
own faults, as well as those of their brethren, are 
spoken of without reserve. 



CHAPTER III. 

CHRONOLOGY, BIRTH OF JESUS, AKD OJJR ERA. 

Before entering upon a general consideration of 
the 'New Testament and of the Christian religion, 
Bomethino: in relation to the birth of Jesus seems to 
be in order. A few dates are given, though it is not 
at all certain that they are correct. And this fact 
should create no surprise Many events in our age of 
observation, notwithstanding the aid afforded by print- 
ing and stenography, will be fixed with difficulty a 
thousand years hence. That, not very long after tlie 
birth of Jesus, the time of that event should have been 
fixed from four to six years later than it ought to have 
been, is not, indeed, strange. If the date which was 
accepted is so far from the truth, as we are now sure it 
is, what can we think of other dates of much less im- 
portance ? The conclusion, therefore, is that they are 
mostly unreliable. 

The general Christian belief tnat the God of heaven 



228 Christianity. 

and earth caused a sudden appearance of a star to 
guide a few travelers to see wliat they had no interest 
in seeing, except to gratify a mere idle curiosity, is 
of all things the most improbable. What interest 
could the Persians Iiave had in the rising Jewish king? 
Latterly, the best astronomers favor the idea that the 
wonderful star of Bethlehem was none other than a 
conjunction of the planets Jupiter and Saturn. If this 
is admitted, it will relieve the passage in Sci'ipture 
referring to this phenomenon of some of the obscurity 
which surrounds it. We learn from the great prince 
of astronomers, Kepler, that a conjunction of Jupiter, 
Saturn and Mars took place in 1604, by which he was 
led to think tliat the true year of Jesus' birth was 
discovered. Making; his calculations with srreat care 
and accuracy, he found that Jupiter and Saturn w^ere 
in conjunction, in the constellation of the Fishes (a fish 
was the astronomical symbol of Judea), in the latter 
half of the year of Eome 747, and were joined by Mars 
in 748. Here, then, he fixed the first figure in the 
date of our era, and here he found the appearance in 
the heavens which induced the Magi to undertake their 
journey. 

Others have adopted this view, freed it from astro- 
logical impurities, and shown its trustworthiness and 
applicabihty to the case under consideration. Jupiter 
and Saturn, it appears, came together for the first time 
May 10th, in the twentieth degree of the constel- 



Birth of Jesus J and Our Era. 229 

lation of the Fishes. They then stood, before sun- 
rise, in the eastern part of the heavens, and were so 
seen by the Magi. Jupiter then passed by Saturn, 
toward the north. About the middle of September 
they were, near midnight, both in opposition to the 
sun ; Saturn in the thirteenth degree, Jupiter in the 
fifteenth, being distant from each other about a degree 
and a half. They then drew nearer. On October 
27th there was a second conjunction, in the sixteenth 
degree, and on November 12th a third conjunction 
took place, in the fifteenth degree of the same constel- 
lation. In the last two conjunctions the planets were 
not more than a degree apart, so that to the unassisted 
eye the rays of one planet were mingled with those 
of the other. The two planets passed each other three 
times, came very near together, and showed themselves 
all night long, for months, in conjunction with each 
other, as if they would never separate again. Their 
first union in the east awakened the interest of the 
Magi (as we may readily imagine), w4io started with- 
out delay for Judea (the fish-land). When they reached 
Jerusalem, the two planets were once more blended 
together. Then, in the evening, they stood in the 
southern part of the sky, pointing w^ith their united 
rays to Bethlehem. Judging from this, the conclusion 
is that Jesus was born in the latter part of the year 
of Rome 747, or six years before the common era. 
Thus we see, if Kepler be correct (and the position 



230 Christianity. 

has never been challenged), that out of a natural phe- 
nomenon in the heavens, as natural as the sun rising, 
a marvelous story has been told for these eighteen 
hundred years, and a notable miracle vouched for. 
What is the use of contending for this as a miracle ? 
If it were such, no aid would be aiForded in fixing a 
date in which the whole Christian world have an in- 
terest. 

Whether Jesus was born two years earlier or later, 
whether the Magi traveled one or two hundred miles 
to solve an astronomical phenomenon, adds nothing 
to, and takes away nothing from, the importance of his 
advent — does not prove that he was a God, or tiie son 
of a God — and in reality is of no consequence. Nor 
did his being born in a manger add to or diminish his 
real characteristics. This story, as we find it in the 
New Testament, gained credit early in the history of 
the Church, and helped to push the best of all relig- 
ions forward. The great body of the people required 
something to startle them. Allowing this position to 
be correct, at the end of the year A.D. 1, as we now 
reckon it, Jesus must have been six years old, and, 
in all cases of the ordinary date, before or at the time 
of Jesus' death, six years must be added to show his 
age. 

To introduce something at this point in relation 
to the calendar will not, we trust, be thought out of 
place. 



Birth of Jesus y and Our Era. 231 

The scheme of three years of 365 days each and a 
fourth of 366 was invented for Julius Caesar by Sosi- 
genes of Alexandria, B.C. 45, and lasted without alter- 
ation until the time of Pope Gregory XIII. It was then 
found that the real equinox fell ten days before the 
nominal one of March 21, and that Easter was four 
days wrong, from the error in the Metonic cycle. Ten 
days were accordingly struck out of the calendar — 
between the 4th and 15th of October, 1572 — and, to 
prevent a like error in the future, it was decreed that 
every lOOtli year should lose its leap-day, except those 
divisible by 400. 

This is the Gregorian, or new style, which was in- 
vented by Clavius, a Jesuit, and adopted in all the 
Roman Catholic countries before the end of 1572, and 
by the Protestant German states in 1700, but not by 
England till 1752, in Sweden the year after, and not 
yet by Russia, nor by the Greek Church. In 1751 
the Eno'lish Parliament enacted that the day after 
September 2, 1752, should be September 14; thus 
dropping eleven days, as we were one day further 
wrong by allowing 1700 to be a leap-year. Before 
this change of style the year legally began March 25. 

A year of the average length of 365J days is called 
a Julian year; but the years of the Julian era were 
reckoned from the first of January, 4713 B.C.; so 
1872 was 6585 of the Julian era. Our present era 



232 Christianity, 

begins four to six years after the birth of Jesus, usually 
called Christ. 

Clavius suggested that it would be better to make 
Easter always the Sunday after march 21, rather than 
to let all the great festivals and holidays, except Christ- 
mas, wander over five weeks of the calendar in the 
vain attempt to follow the moon. 

Archbishop Usher, a man of profound learning 
and great application, wlio flourished during the first 
half of the seventeenth century, published his work on 
Chronology, which was at the time thought' to be quite 
reliable, and has therefore been adopted by many bib- 
lical wa'iters up to this nineteenth century. He fixes 
the time of Jesus' birth at four years before the 
beginning of our era. 

Alvan Bond's edition of Kitto's " Bible History " 
has much in it of correct information, and fixes the 
date of the most important events of tlie first cen- 
tury of our era — a few of which will be given here. 

To get the true date, four to six years must in 
each case be added to what we call A.D. 

B.C. 

Augustus declared Emperor by the Roman Senate 27 

The Septuagint in general use among the Jews 27 

Birth of John the Baptist 5 

Birth of Jesus. Arrival of the Magi. Flight to Egypt 4 

Murder of the male infants at Bethlehem by Herod. 3 

Archelaus succeeds his father in Judea 2 

A.D. 

Jesus accompanies Joseph and Mary to Jerusalem — 8 
Herod Antipas founds the city of Tiberias 10 



JBirth of Jesus^ and Our Era. 233 

The Temple polluted by Samaritans "]. ... 14 

John the Baptist begins to preach 26 

Jesus baptized 27 

Jesus' first appearance in the Temple 27 

Imprisonment of John the Baptist 27 

Jesus' second visit to Jerusalem 27 

Commencement of Jesus' public ministry 27 

Second Passover. Third Passover 28 

Transfiguration of Jesus. Feast of Dedication 29 

Last Supper. Fourth Passover. Crucifixion 30 

Ascension. Conversion of five thousand 30 

The effort to suppress Christianity. 30 

Community of goods. Death of Ananias and Sapphira. 30 

Second attempt to suppress Christianity 33 

Martyrdom of Stephen. Death of Tiberius 37 

Saul converted. Josephus born at Jerusalem 37 

Saul retires to Arabia, and returns to Damascus 38 

Saul visits Jerusalem and Tarsus 40 

Herod Agrippa king of all Palestine. 41 to 44 

Disciples first called Christians, at Antioch 42 

Britain invaded by the Romans 43 

Death of Herod Agrippa 43 

Judea a distinct Roman province 44 

Epistle of James 44 

Epistle of Peter... 48 

London founded 49 

Council of Apostles and Elders 50 

Paul arrives at Troas 51 

Edict of Claudius against the Jews 51 

Paul at Athens; at Corinth also 52 

Paul's first Epistle to the Thessalonians 53 

Second Epistle to the Thessalonians 53 

Paul's Epistle to the Gallatians 53 

First Epistle to the Corinthians. 56 

Epistle to Titus. Paul's visit to Crete 56 



234: Christianity. 

First Epistle to Timothy 56 

Second Epistle to the Corinthians 57 

Paul's Epistle to the Romans 58 

Epistle to the Ephesians and Colossians 61 

Second Epistle to Timothy. Epistle to Philemon 61 

Mark martyred. Epistle to the Philippians. ... 62 

London burned, and sixty thousand perished 62 

Pome burned by order of Nero 64 

Second Epistle of Peter 65 

St. Paul beheaded at Rome 67 

Jerusalem destroyed by Titus 70 

Titus demolishes the Temple to its foundation 74 

Vespasian dies, and is succeeded by Titus 79 

Coliseum of Vespasian completed 80 

John exiled to Patmos 95 

John writes the Apocalypse 96 

Death of John, about 100 



CHAPTEE IV. 

THE NEW TESTAMENT. 

Of all the histories that have come down to us, 
none equals in interest the New Testament account 
of Christianity, commencing with the Synoptical Gos- 
pels, gi^'Jng us an account of Jesus of Nazareth, con- 
fessedly the most wonderful personage that ever 
appeared among the children of men. Therefore, a 
careful study of this book becomes an imperative 
duty. In attending to this duty let us endeavor to 
do it honestly, thoughtfully, and prayerfully, with no 
effort to make more or less of it than we ought, using 
the best of our reason and judgment, considering well 
the time in which it was written, and all the attend- 
ant circumstances. 

As Prof. Stowe remarks, we must take the Bible 
as it is, just as we would any other book, with minds 
free from all bias or prejudice for or against it; with 
a view, not to disparage, carp at, or find fault with it, 



236 Christianity. 

but with an endeavor to benefit our own souls, to 
warm our hearts, enliven our understanding, and help 
us to press on heavenward. We must not pass judg- 
ment hastily, but examine patiently, remembering that 
what w^e read concerns life and death, our well-being 
in this world and in the world to come. 

Prof. Stowe says that it was about two hundred 
years from the death of the apostle John to the colla- 
tion of the first full manuscripts we have of the whole 
New Testament, though we have fragments dating 
back nearly to the time of John. The exact date of 
most, if not of all, old manuscripts is fixed with diffi- 
culty. The letters used in the most ancient are called 
uncial^ from the Latin, meaning inch ; as if the letters 
were originally an inch long: but this letter .fell into 
disuse before the tenth century, and the cursive was 
generally adopted, which resembles the type in which 
Greek books have generally been printed. The man- 
uscripts of the Greek Testament are all in book form ; 
none of them in the Oriental form of rolls. Yery few 
of them contain the whole of the New Testament. The 
total number of these manuscripts is estimated at one 
thousand. Those referring to the Gospels are at least 
four hundred, of which twenty-seven are uncial, and 
at least one thousand years old. Of Paul's Epistles, 
nine of the two hundred and fifty-five manuscripts are 
uncial ; of the Acts, eight of the two hundred are 
uncial; of the Apocalypse, three of the ninety-one are 



The New Testament. 237 

uncial. In all, we have nine hundred and seventy-two 
entire manuscripts of the different volumes of the New 
Testament, of which forty-seven are more than one 
thousand years old. Several books of the New Testa- 
ment are oftener in manuscripts entirely independent 
of the other books. Some books were more generally 
copied and more frequently used than others. 

The Latin term generally used to designate manu- 
script books is the word codex. The Codex Alexan- 
drinus is so called from the place of its origin, the 
city of Alexandria, in Egypt. In the year 1628, Cyril 
Lucan, Patriarch of Constantinople, who for some time 
held the same office at Alexandria, sent, by Sir Thomas 
Eoe, the English embassador, a magnificent Greek 
manuscript of the w^hole Bible, as a present, to King 
Charles I of England. This book, which is now care- 
fully preserved in the British Museum, is said to have 
been written by a noble Egyptian lady and martyr, 
by the name of Thula, about 325 to 350 A.D. 

Mr. Stowe says the Codex Yaticanus is highly valued, 
and takes its name from the library in which it was 
kept — the Vatican, at Rome, which was established by 
Pope Nicholas V, about 1450 A.D. It is probably 
somewhat older than the Alexandrian, and originally 
contained the whole of the Greek Bible, though many 
of its leaves are lost. 

This New Testament is now a quarto volume, bound 
in red morocco, ten and a half inches long, ten inches 



238 Christianity, 

broad, and four inches thick, written on very fine 
vellum, in a small, elegant, square letter, three col- 
umns on a page ; so that, on opening the volume any- 
where, six columns of well-formed letters are presented 
to the eye. For the most part, each column contains 
forty-two lines, and each line sixteen or eighteen let- 
ters. Its value as an authority is very high, and before 
the beginning of the present century it had been three 
times collated for printed editions of the Greek Testa- 
ment. In the Yatican it is kept with great care and 
childish reverence. In 1843 the great scholar Tisch- 
endorf went to Home expressly to examine it. He 
found it carefully locked up in a drawer of the library 
and no easy matter to obtain even a sight of it. After 
considerable delay he was allowed to examine it two 
separate days, for three hours each day, after being 
carefully searched, to prevent the possibility of his 
having about him pen, ink, or paper, for fear that 
he might take notes. During every moment of the 
time, also, he was carefully watched. In 184:4 Edward 
de Muralt was allowed to examine it on three different 
daj^s, three hours each day, but with the same precau- 
tions and under the same jealous watchfulness. In 
1855 Dr. Tregclles w^ent from England to Home, with 
a letter of recommendation from Cardinal Wiseman, 
for the express purpose of examining the manuscript; 
but, though he was allowed to see it, he was effect- 
ually hindered from transcribing a syllable. In the 



The New Testament. 239 

year 1828 an edition of it was undertaken by An- 
gelo Mai, afterward Cardinal, a learned and able man, 
at the instance of Pope Leo XII. The work was pub- 
lished three years after the Cardinal's death, which 
happened in 1857, but in so slovenly a manner that 
the Papists were ashamed of it; and in 1859 Charles 
Yircellone, a monk of St. Barnabas, and a friend of the 
Cardinal, published a revised edition, which was a little 
better, but still below the scholarship of the age ; and, 
worst of all, it was not an exact reprint of the Vatican 
manuscript. It was very inaccurate, containing hun- 
dreds of errors, very many of which Tischendorf cor- 
rected in a work published by him in 1867, entitled 
the Novum Testamentum Vaticanum. Numerous fur- 
ther corrections were made in the two following years 
by others. 

In time we shall doubtless get a perfectly correct 
reprint of the original; as, since the above attempts 
were made for a careful examination, the restrictions 
have been greatly modified, and may be still further. 
Great efforts are being made to produce a more per- 
fect edition of the New Testament from all the mate- 
rials now obtainable; and as there has been in time 
past, so there is now, among the highly educated who 
are not warped by prejudice, swayed by dogmatism, 
or blinded by creeds, a desire for a faithful and com- 
plete version of every word and sentence. 

The Sinaitic Codex was discovered in 1844, by 



240 Christianity. 

Dr. Tischendorf, while lie was traveling, under the 
patronage of the king of Saxony, for research in bib- 
lical science. And at the convent of St. Catlierine, 
on Mount Sinai, from a basket of rubbish which was 
intended for the purpose of kindling fires, he picked 
out forty-three beautiful parchment le/ives, belonging to 
the manuscript of the Septuagint, hitherto unknown. 
On his return to Europe they were published. On 
the 4th of February, 1859, he visited the convent a 
third time, when he obtained from a monk the other 
leaves, loosely tied in a napkin. To his great delight 
he found here not only the remaining portions of the 
Septuagint, but also the entire New Testament, with 
the Epistle of Barnabas and portions of the Shepherd 
of Hermas: the most complete, the most ancient, the 
best manuscript copy of the. entire New Testament 
that has yet been discovered. After much persuasion, 
he was allowed to take the manuscript with him to 
Cairo in Egypt, and finally to St. Petersburg in Eu- 
rope, as a present to the Russian emperor Alexander 
II, the great patron of the Greek Church throughout 
the world. 

Yarious other old manuscripts which are entitled 
to consideration, and of which Prof. Stowe speaks 
somewhat at length, might be mentioned. ( 

Constantine Tischendorf. a world-renowned Christian 
divine and biblical scholar, in his introduction to a 
w^ork of great labor — comparing the authorized version 



The N'ew Testament. 241 

of the New Testament with tlie three most celebrated 
manuscripts of the Greek text — says : ^' To place the 
glorious works which adorn the literature of England 
and America within reach of the readers of other coun- 
tries was the aim of the noble originator of the ' Tauch- 
nitz Collection.'" And in selecting the word of God, 
as recorded by the apostles, for the thousandth volume 
of tlie series, he has chosen the most appropriate crown 
for such a structure of human genius. 

Tha English nation, as early as the reign of Queen 
Elizabeth, had an authorized translation, under the 
guidance of Archbishop Parker, which, half a century 
later, in the year 1611, was revised, at the command 
of James I, by a body of learned divines, and became 
the present " Authorized Version." It is the New 
Testament portion of this version which forms the 
thousandth volume of the " Tauchnitz Collection." 
Founded as it was on the Greek text at that time, 
accepted by Protestant theologians, and translated 
with scholarship and conscientious care, this version 
of the New Testament has deservedly become an ob- 
ject of great reverence, and a valuable treasure to the* 
English Church. The German Churcli alone possesses, 
in Luther's New Testament, a treasure of similar 
value. 

But the Greek text of the apostolic writings has, 
since its origin, sufiered many a mischance at the hands 
of those who have used and studied it ; the mere process 



242 Christianity. 

of constant copying and recopjing alone having given 
rise to many alterations. The authorized version, like 
Luther's, was made from Greek text, which Erasmus 
in 1516, and Robert Stephens in 1550, had formed 
from manuscripts of later date than the tenth century. 
Whether these manuscripts were thoroughly trust- 
worthy — in other words, whether they exhibited the 
apostolic original as perfectly as possible — has long 
been a matter of diligent and learned investigation. 
Since the sixteenth century Greek manuscripts have 
been discovered of far greater antiquity than those of 
Erasmus and Stephens, as well as others in Latin, 
Syriac, Coptic, and Gothic, into which languag'es the 
sacred text was translated between the second and 
fourth centuries, while in the works of the Fathers, 
from the second century downward, many quotations 
from the New Testament have been found and com- 
pared. The result has been that, while, on the one 
hand, scholars have become aware that the text of 
Erasmus and Stephens was in use in the Byzantine 
Church long before the tenth century, on the other 
hand, they have discovered thousands of readings which 
had escaped the notice of those editors. The question 
then arose, Wliich reading in each case most correctly 
represented what the apostles had written ? By no 
means an easy question, since the variations in the 
documents are very ancient. Scholars are divided as 
to the readings which most exactly convey the word 



The New Testament. 243 

of God. But one thing is agreed upon by the majority 
of those who understand the subject, namely : that 
the older copies approach the original text more 
nearly than the later ones. 

The Alexandrinus, the VaticanuSj and the Sinaitic 
manuscripts undoubtedly stand at the head of all the 
ancient copies of the New Testament now known, 
and it is by their standard that both the early editions 
of the Greek text and the modern versions are to be 
compared and corrected. The effect of comparing the 
common English text with the most ancient authorities 
will as often disclose agreement as disagreement. The 
three great manuscripts differ from each other both 
in age and authority, and no one of them can be said 
to stand so high that its sole verdict is sufficient to 
silence all contradiction. But to treat such ancient 
authorities with neglect would be sheer arrogance. It 
may be urged that all criticism is opposed to true 
reverence, and that, by thus exposing the inaccuracies 
of the English version, we shall bring discredit upon 
a work which has been for centuries the object of 
love and veneration, both in public and private. *^But 
those who stigmatize the process of scientific criticism 
and test, which we propose," says Tischendorf, "are 
greatly mistaken. To us," he continues, " the most 
reverential course appears to be to accept nothing as 
the word of God which is not proved to be so by the 
evidence of the oldest, and therefore the most certain, 



244 Christianity. 

witness that he has put into our hands." He says 
that, with this view and this intention, his time has 
been occupied for thirty years in searching the libra- 
ries of Europe, the obscurest convents of the East, 
both in Africa and Asia, for the most ancient manu- 
scripts of the Bible, and in correcting and arranging 
such documents for the use of the present age and 
for posterity. In agreement with other biblical writers, 
he says that the first manuscript which came into the 
possession of Europe was the Vatican Codex. Whence 
it was acquired by the Vatican library is not known, 
but it appears in the first catalogue of that collection, 
which dates from the year 1475. Of the New Testa- 
ment it contains the four Gospels, the Actp., the seven 
Catholic Epistles, nine of the Pauline Epistles, and 
the Epistle to the Hebrews as far as chap, ix, 14, 
from which verse to the end of the New Testament 
it is deficient, so that not only the last chapters of the 
Hebrews, but the Epistles to Timothy, Titus, and 
Philemon, as well as the Revelations, are missing. 
The peculiarities of the writing, the arrangement of 
the manuscript, and the character of the text — espe- 
cially very remarkable readmgs — all combine to place 
the execution of this Codex at about the middle of the 
fourth century. 

In the Alexandrian Codex the following passages 
of the New Testament are wanting : Matt, i, 1, to 
XXV, 6 ; John vi, 50, to viii, 52 ; II Cor. iv, 13, to 



The Ifew Testament, 245 

xii, 6. It contains the Epistles of Clemens and Eo- 
raanus (the only known copj^), a letter of Athanasius, 
and a treatise of Eusebius upon the Psalms. Probably 
written about the middle of the fifth century. 

For age and extent the Sinaitic Codex stands first, 
the Vaticanic second, the Alexandrian third. 

Tischendorf deems it remarkable that the ordinary 
conclusion of the Gospel of St. Mark (xvi, 9-20) is 
found in more than five hundred Greek manuscripts, 
in the whole of tlie Syriac and Coptic, and most of 
the Latin, manuscripts, and even in the Gotliic version. 
But by Eusebius and Jerome (the former of whom 
died in 340) it is stated expressly that these verses 
were not in the trustworthy copies used by either 
Marcion (A. D. 130-140) or Origen (185-254). 
Basil the Great, who died in 379, also states that they 
were wanting in the old manuscripts of his time; and 
the omission agrees well with the encyclical character 
of the epistle. At the present day the words are found 
in many ancient Greek manuscripts; and in all the 
ancient versions, even to Jerome, no copy was known 
that did not contain them. Now, however, the Sinaitic 
and Yaticanic manuscripts alone agree w^ith Basil, 
Origen, and Marcion. 

Origen states, and his statement is confirmed by 
various quotations before his time, that in John i, 4, 
some copies contained : " In him is life," instead of 
"In him was life"; whereas that reading is only found 



246 Christianity, 

in the Sinai ti'c manuscript, and in the famous Cam- 
bridge copy of the Gospels known as the Codex Ber- 
zse, although it is shown in most copies of the Italic 
version, and in the old Syri^ic and Coptic versions. 

Jerome says, in reference to Matt, xiii, 35, that 
Porphyry, the opponent of Christianity in the third 
century, accused the evangelist of having said, "which 
was spoken by the prophet Isaiah" — a reading which 
is also exhibited by an authority of the second century. 
To vvliich Jerome adds that well-informed people had 
long before removed the name of Isaiah from the 
passage. Now, of all our manuscripts of a thousand 
years old, not one exhibits the name of Isaiah except 
the Sinaitic. The passage, John xiii, 10, is cited six 
times by Origen ; but the Sinaitic manuscript and a 
few copies of the old Italic version albne give it as 
Origen does, namely : " He that is w^ashed needeth 
not to wash, but is clean every whit." John vi, 51: 
the Sinaitic alone, among all the Greek manuscripts, 
has no doubt the right reading, namely : " If any man 
eat of my bread, he shall live forever. The bread 
which I will give for the life of the world is my flesh" 
— which is confirmed by Tertullian, at the end of the 
second century. 

We could cite hundreds of instances in regard to 
disputed texts, and might with some propriety say that 
tliere is not a scholar in the world who can unequivo- 
cally claim to understand and can give exactly the 



The J^ew Testament. 247 

meaning and wording of the New Testament. All 
enthusiastic believers do not care whether they have 
the correct reading or not. If they read life where it 
ought to be death, what concern is it to them ? They 
think they know enough, whether tliat be much or 
little. Not one layman in a thousand would stop to 
look at what is known as the Scholar's Edition of the 
New Testament. And it may be that when the new 
edition of the Bible appears there will be many to 
doubt it, and think it a trap to endanger their souls. 
They enjoyed religion under the old book — that blessed 
book ! Suppose, in dropping the old for the new, 
their souls should be lost, how sad it would be ! God 
pity all those whose only ideal, perchance, is a creed ! 
The class of readers is large who think tliey have all 
the light they 'need; who are not only in darkness, but 
in gross darkness. I beg of such not to touch Tischen- 
dorf s book. Why should they ? Is not the Bible 
the word of God — an infallible boon ? How is it 
possible .that the God of all things, or any of his agents, 
has written anything wrong ? If they were inspired 
by God, why speak about mistakes ! 

Tischendorf says that many obvious blunders which 
are found in the manuscripts are passed over in silence. 
Others are so glaringly wrong that every honest man 
must feel it an imperative duty to point them out — a 
duty he owes to the cause of truth and the God of 
truth. 



248 Christianity. 

Yery shortly after the books of the New Testa- 
ment were written, and before they were protected 
by Church authority, there is grec.t probability that 
alterations and additions were made to them. Many 
of the variations are obviously only matters of pro- 
nunciation ; others arise from the Greek idiom, and 
are not noticed. 

However reluctantly, we must come to the conclu- 
sion, in justice to our own souls and to the cause of 
truth, that it is not a perfect book, in any fair sense 
of that term ; neither is all of it " the word of God,'^ 
an infallible record, in strict agreement with the three 
great manuscripts; and, taking them and the English 
Bible, no two of tliem agree in the essential parts, to 
say nothing of the non-essential. Notwithstanding all 
this, there is enough about which there is no doubt 
expressed by the severest critics to lead us into all 
truth when honestly considered. In conclusion, Tisch- 
endorf says : " No single work of ancient Greek class- 
ical literature can command three such original wit- 
nesses, as the Sinaitic, Yaticanic and Alexandrian 
manuscripts, to the integrity and accuracy of its text. 
That they are available in the case of a book which 
is at once the most sacred and the most important in 
the world is surely matter of deep thankfulness to 
God.'^ 



CHAPTEE Y. 

EVANGELICAL AND APOSTOLICAL AUTHORITY. 

In the present, King James', edition of the Kew 
Testament we have the writings ascribed to Matthew 
set before us as first of the Synoptical Gospels. This 
evangelist, who was a Galilean Jew, by the Hebrew 
name of Levi, when c?\lled to an apostleship filled the 
oflSce of tax-gatherer by authority of the Roman gov- 
ernment. Like all other provincial subjects, the Jews 
were required to aid in supporting fhe government of 
Rome by the payment of wh^itever tax was imposed 
upon them. The Jews did not dare to resist the col- 
lection of these taxes, although, as the descendants of 
Abraham, they were naturally reluctant to submit to 
the Roman yoke, and were especially averse to burden- 
some taxation. Matthew, as one of the instruments in 
the collection of these taxes, was, of course, exceed- 
ingly unpopular. We infer that he had authority to 
collect in a somewhat extended district; such rights 



250 Christianity. 

were sometimes sold for considerable portions of coun- 
try, and were resold in smaller parcels, at a profit. 
However this may have been, Matthew left his official 
duties and enlisted in the service of the young re- 
former, Jesus of Nazareth. 

We shall speak of Matthew's writings, and those 
of the other evangelists, with that freedom and honesty 
of purpose which we feel that our duty demands. For 
these Synoptical Gospels we have all the respect and 
veneration due to records of such great antiquity. 

That we have now a perfect idea of all that took 
place during the early history of Christianity is not 
presumable. Looking back nineteen centuries, and 
comprehending as best we may the important occur- 
rences of that time — the taking root and spreading of 
a new religion, under the lead of a young man of very 
limited education, and of poor and illiterate parentage, 
who had spent his time working at the carpenter's 
trade — it is hardl^Tpossible that the results achieved by 
such a person, with the aid of a few humble fisher- 
men, could have anything more than a limited his- 
tory, and that at first unavoidably fragmentary and 
incorrect. Something in the shape of records was kept, 
and, in a measure, preserved, but without the slight- 
est expectation, as we boldly assert, that the then infant 
sect was destined to develop into its present extent 
and importance. 

Everything must wait for its growth, which re- 



Evangelical and Apostolical Authority, 251 

quires time. The Christian religion, as we have it 
to-day, is anything but wh^t it was during the early 
centuries. Hebrew history did not att,^in to its pres- 
ent orderly arrangement until it was revised and ar- 
rangsd by that able writer Ezra. How much of the 
early purity and true f>>ith of Christi?inity have been 
lost by constant additions, alterations and omissions 
of the original records, no one can tell. People of 
the second and third centuries would hardly recognize 
in our present the Christianity of their time. 

As with Mattliew's gospel so it may have been 
with the other Synoptical writings, and with the Acts, 
whoever their author may have been. They grew 
up from the crudest state. Many writers have labored 
to find tlie particular dates at which the books of the 
New Testament were written. By some the date of 
the first rude fragments of Matthew's gospel is fixed 
as early as A.D. 40 to 45 ; by others, 60 to 65. Of 
late, many of the best biblical scholars bring the time 
down some centuries later. The order in which the 
books are found in our present populnr version is not 
considered to be in accordance with the time in which 
the books were written — beginning with Matthew, and 
so on. Matthew, being a conspicuous actor and a man 
of business, would naturally keep ?l crude record of 
events. As enrly as A.D. 40 many of these hud been 
brought into something like a formal shape, nnd were 
rewritten by him some twenty years after. From 






252 Christianity. 

A.D. 70 to 100 other writings were collected and 
put in a better state for preservation. This collect- 
ing and revising, we have good reason to believe, was 
continued up to about the close of the tenth century, 
or later. 

Matthew's gospel, in its early, imperfect form, was 
written for the Jewish Christians in Palestine. Such 
arguments were advanced as its author thought M'ould 
have the most weight with the Jews in proof of Jesus' 
Messiahship. It is quite certain that this early writing 
of Matthew's was in the Hebrew language — that is, 
the Syro-Chaldaic, which was then spoken by the Jews 
in their own land. This in the New Testament is 
called Hebrew, though it is not the pure Hebrew. It 
is the language in which Jesus usually conversed, and 
was adhered to by tlie Jews as their national tongue. 

Josephus was contemporary with Matthew, and, 
although a Jew by birth, was well versed in Greek, 
and educated in the most thorouo-h manner. The 
question may be asked how it happened that a Greek 
gospel of Matthew w^as preserved, and none in He- 
brew. The time or times when Matthew's gospel was 
promulgated, at first in Greek and afterward in He- 
brew, cannot be fixed at this time with certainty. 

Among the manuscripts brought to the British 
Museum in 1842 there is a very ancient "Syrian 
Matthew," which Dr. Cureton has published, and which 
he supposes to be the original book of Matthew. From 



Evayigelical and Apostolical Authority. 253 

it we give the following variations between the Greek 
and the Syrian, as translated by Prof. Stowe: 

Greek. Syrian. 

I, 20. — He shall save his peo- I, 20. — He shall save the 

pie from their sins. world frora its sins. 

I, 23.— God with us. I, 23.— Our God with us. 

I, 25. — Knew her not. I, 25. — Dwelt with her in 

purity. 

yn, 5. — Hypocrite. VII, 5. — Acceptor of persons. 

XV, 22. — Grievously demoral- XY, 22. — Badly conducted by 

ized. a devil's hand. 

XVI, 19.— The keys of the king- XYI, 19.— The keys of the gates 

dom. " of the kingdom. 

Our present Greek is no translation, Prof. Stowe 
says, but the original from Matthew's own hand ; but 
this is too improbable to gain credit. Eusebius says 
the Hebrew gospel was found among the Christians 
in India in the latter part of the second century, by 
Pantaenus, a missionary and philosopher, who after- 
ward presided over the Catechetical school at Alexan- 
dria. He contends that the book was carried thither 
by the apostle Bartholomew, who first preached the 
gospel in those regions. 

This gospel of Matthew is written in a plain, 
matter-of-fact style, more like that of a man of busi- 
ness, as he was, than of a scholar. By him Jesus is 
exhibited in his earthly character, and on this account 
his gospel was called by the ancients somatikon^ or 
the '' bodily " gospel. In his narrative he is brief, and 



254: Christianity. 

regardless, generally, of the order of time. In many 
cases only enough of the narrative is given to intro- 
duce the discourse. In this respect, as well as in sev- 
eral other particulars, he resembles Zenophon. 

Some writers have t^jiken great pains to «prove that 
there was such a gospel as Matthew's, which we con- 
sider as unnecessary as it would be to demonstrate 
that there is a sun in the firmament. It may not 
have come down to us exactly as Matthew wrote it; 
and, again, we are as sure as we can be of any nega- 
tive that he did not confine his writing to actual and 
personal knowledge, though he honestly believed that 
all he said was true. He did not pretend to be in- 
spired, and writes more as a historian than as an 
enthusiast. 

Tertullian tells us that Matthew, in his endeavor 
to make us acquainted with the carnal origin of Jesus, 
begins by saying, *' Jesus Christ, the son of David, 
the son of Abraham." Matthew gives in detail the 
origin of the Lord from Abraham, and says^ " Jncob 
begat Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born 
Jesus, who is called Christ." Prof. Stowe informs us 
thnt the genuineness of the first two chapters of Mat- 
thew have been questioned by many ; and, as portions 
of them are in conflict with other gospels, we have 
good reason to doubt their accuracy. It is certain 
that many learned men, at fs time not long subsequent 
to the first century, criticised a considerable portion 



Evangelical and Apostolical Authority. 255 

of this book, and, we think, jnstly. Matthew had far 
less means of knowing the genealogy of Jesus than 
have the great biblical scholars of our age. The men 
who lived seventeen centuries ago were undoubtedly 
less qualified to speak correctly of things which hap- 
pened then than we are, for, in addition to the knowl- 
edg-e thev had, we have what has been cjained since. 
Matthew felt it his duty (and we thank God that he 
did) to write, according to his faith and ability, an 
account of the birth and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth, 
usually called the Christ, who may be justly regarded 
as the world's great redeemer. 

Judaism v/as worn out; although it had served a 
good purpose, it had accomplished its mission, and 
h^d had its day. Something better was wanted — some- 
thing to touch the heart. In all the Jewish rites and 
ceremonials God was dimly discerned, but not really 
felt. Jesus appeared in the form of h man, as one of 
the people, with all the outward peculiftrities of a man. 
In commencing his record Matthew saw no other way 
than to give the genealogy of Jesus, using the best 
materials he had. Up to the advent of Jesus no re- 
markable character had appeared on the earth whose 
birth was in the common order. Something unu- 
sually extraordinary must be connected with it, as it was 
no uncommon thing for men to be begotten of the 
gods. Hence we can see the necessity of associating 
his name and birth with the genealogy of King David, 



256 Christianity. 

and of attributing liis conception to the Jewish God; 
for Joseph and Mary were both Jews. 

It is not possible that the present gospel of Mat- 
thew was written as early as A.D. 68. Let us look 
at chap, xxviii, 15 : " So they took the money, and did 
as they were taught; and this saying is commonly 
reported among the Jews until this day." Meaning, 
of course, that the book, or at least some part of it, 
had been written a long time, several generations, after 
the occurrence : many say as late as the third century. 
Some of the German critics are decided in their opin- 
ion that the first two chapters of Matthew are not 
genuine. Portions of these two chapters are noticed 
in anotlier part of this work. The first part of Matthew 
is taken by some to be merely legend. There is 
difiiculty in reconciling the stories of Jesus' paternity. 
If he was the son of God and was with the Father 
before the worlds were made, he was a part, at least, 
of infinity; and to establish the theory that infinity 
can suffer, a new logic, of which we have no knowl- 
edge, would have to be invented. If Jesus was born a 
human being, he could not make an infinite atone- 
ment : so in trying to avoid one difiiculty w^e encounter 
another. 

The Jewish prophet and the angel that appeared 
to Joseph did not agree as to what the child, when 
born, should be called. The former said his name 
should be called Immanuel; the latter, Jesus. The 



Evangelical and Apostolical Authority. 257 

wise men from the East did not ask for one who was 
born to be a Savior, but for one born " King of the 
Jews." So much had been said by the Jews about a 
king w^ho would in time appear, that Herod thought it 
possible that an infant prince w^as really born to be 
king of the Jewish nation. From the coming of the 
so-called wise men from the East (probably Persia) 
we might infer that they had heard the wondrous 
story ; but Prof. Coleman puts this supposed object of 
their visit at rest by showing that they came solely on 
account of an astronomical phenomenon, as we have 
explained in another chapter. 

Chap, iii says : " In those days came John the 
Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea." John 
was about two years older than Jesus. In connecting 
the beginning of John's ministry with Jesus' birth 
so closely by the words " in those days," the writer 
shows pretty plainly that he was not much of a his- 
torian, or else the writing was done a long time after 
the occurrences of which he is speaking. The record 
is sadly mixed up, for in almost the same sentence 
we are told of the birth of the infant Jesus, and then 
of John's baptizing, and the coming of Jesus, infant 
as he was, to John for baptism. Immediately after 
this (chap, iv), Jesus is delivered over to the Devil to 
be tempted, but for what reason we are not told. If 
he was not only born a God, but was a Grod before 
all worlds, we cannot see why he was thus given up 



258 Christianity. 

to be tormented. The story is, in and of itself, in- 
credible. The thought that Jesus was thus in the 
hands of the Evil One, and by him placed upon the 
liighest pinnacle of the temple, is too absurd to enter- 
tain. Who took note of the conversation when Jesus 
and the Devil were up that dizzy height? It seems 
the Devil understood Scripture, for he and his captive 
had quite a talk together, the former seeming to be 
perfectly at home on sacred topics. 

The whole idea of a devil was borrowed from older 
religions, and is interwoven with Christianity just as 
it was with other previous systems. Evidently no story 
could have been gotten up about the apple-eating mat- 
ter without a devil. And but for this act of Adam and 
Eve, by the aid and instigation of the Devil, they and 
all their posterity might possibly have remained in a state 
of sinlessness and purity, not knowing good from evil. 
Jesus would have had no tempter to try his virtue. In 
short, witliout a devil all would have been sadly out of 
joint. With the Devil as an adversary, an opposing force, 
matters seemed to work satisfactorily all around ! There 
was something to contend with, somebody to fight ! 

Matt, iv, 23, 24, says : " And Jesus went about all 
Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching 
the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of 
sickness and all manner of disease among the peo- 
ple." " And his fame went throughout all Syria.'' 
The Jews, it must be admitted, were remarkably toL 



Evangelical and Apostolical Authority. 259 

erant to allow Jesus to teach the new religion. Many- 
sects nowadays would turn any one out of doors who 
attempted such a thing. Jesus w^as a Jewish citizen, 
and as such, of course, had privileges, but he had not 
the right to innovate the Jewish religion ; and the 
great wonder is that he escaped death as long as he 
did. 

In chap. X the twelve apostles are named : 

1. " And when he had called unto him his twelve 
disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, 
to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness 
and all manner of disease. 

2. "Now the na-nes of the twelve apostles are 
these : the first, Simon, who is called Peter, and An- 
drew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John 
his brother; 

3. " Philip, and Bartholomew ; Thomas, and Mat- 
thew the publican ; James the son of Alphaeus, and 
Lebbseus, whose surname was Thaddeus; 

4. " Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who 
also betrayed him. 

5. " These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded 
them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, 
and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not : 

6. ''But go rather to the lost sheep of the house 
of Israel. 

7. " And as ye go, preach, saying. The kingdom 
of heaven is at hand. 



260 Christianity. 

8. " Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the 
dead, cast out devils : freely ye have received, freely 
give. 

9. " Provide neither gold, nor cilver, nor brass in 
your purses, 

10. " Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, 
neither shoes, nor yet staves; for the workman is 
worthy of his meat." 

In chap, ii, 12, we read: 

12. "And from the days of John the Baptist until 
now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and 
the violent take it by force. 

13. "For all the prophets and the law prophesied 
until John. 

14. "And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which 
was for to come." 

What are we to understand by this ? John was 
not dead. Does it not lock as if this writing was dono 
a long time after Jesus' death ? And what safety can 
there be in a place that can bo stormed by the wicked 
and violent ? And what of the writers who penned, 
or rather dictated, such things ? for we are told by 
the most learned scholars that very little, if any por- 
tion, of the Gospels or Epistles was written by those 
w^iose names appear as the authors. Admitting that 
the authors were inspired, it does not follow that the 
scribes were inspired likewise. The latter had no 
interest in what they wrote, and could easily have 



Evangelical and Apostolical Authority. 261 

interpolated and altered the record had they been so 
disposed ; or it could have been done by other hands 
a long time after. The most important of these old 
manuscripts, dating back to the fore part of the third 
century, were of course compiled from other and still 
older manuscripts; so that the entire authenticity of 
the New Testament does not rest on the most solid 
ground. Do not start at this assertion. Christian friend 
and brother. While we admit that there is enough 
in the Bible about which there is no dispute, that we 
do fully understand, to guide us into all truth, there is 
too much that we cannot believe, or do not understand, 
to allow of our worshiping it. Our duty is to worship 
God and serve him. 

As to the genealogy back from Joseph to David, 
the noted writer Julius Africanus considered it very 
imperfect. He gives an elaborate statement of the 
different genealogies of Jesus as they stand in Matthew 
and Luke, and endeavors to reconcile them, but with- 
out success. 

The Evangelical Writers. — Mark was the son of 
a pious woman in Jerusalem, and the intimate friend 
of the apostle Peter. A misunderstanding growing up 
between Paul and Barnabas respecting Mark, produced 
a separation from him for a time. Paul afterward 
became reconciled, and speaks of Mark in several of 
his epistles with confidence and affection. With great 
unanimity his gospel is believed to have been written 



262 Christianity, 

at Koine, under the superintendence of Peter. Prof. 
Stowe says he has many pure Latin words written in 
Greek letters, w^here the other evangelists use the 
appropriate Greek words. 

.Luke was a Gentile by birth, and a physician, and, 
according to the most reliable testimony, w^as a citizen 
of Antioch, where the followers of Christ w^ere first 
called Christians. He was familiar with Greek liter- 
ature, as appears evident from his style of writing. 
His gospel and the book of Acts were written by him. 
His introductory verses are elegantly pure Greek, and 
the same is true of the Acts. He became a zealous 
Christian, and took great pains to gain correct infor- 
mation, applying himself to the study of the Hebrew 
Scriptures and the circumstances attending the origin 
of Christianity. 

Of Theophilus, the friend to whom Luke addresses 
his two works, nothing is known that is reliable. He 
is thought to have been a Greek, who lived out of 
Palestine, or at Antioch, Luke's native city. Luke's 
gospel may have been WTitten about the same time as 
Mark's, and was probably intended for the use of the 
Greeks. 

Luke represents Christ as the Savior of the w^orld, 
without distinction of nations, and traces his genealogy, 
through his mother, Mary, to Adam, the progenitor of 
the whole human family, in bold contrast to the obvi- 
ously Jewish feature of the first chapter of Matthew. 



Evangelical and Apostolical Authority. 263 

He is circumstantial in narrative, and gives many de- 
tails, and is the only one of the evangelists from whom 
we have a detailed account of what preceded the birth 
of John the Baptist and of Jesus. In this part of his 
gospel the style is strongly Hebraistic — more so than 
in any other part of the New Testament, if we except 
the Apocalypse. Luke was often the companion of 
Paul in his journeys, and it is reported that after Paul's 
martyrdom Luke preached in Italy. 

John was the son of Zebedee and Salome, and the 
brother of James. He was born in Bethsaida of Gal- 
ilee, where also Andrew and Peter were born. John's 
father owned vessels or sailing craft on the sea of 
Galilee, and kept servants; his mother was one of 
those who provided for the support of Jesus, and pro- 
cured costly spices for his embalming. Zebedee had 
a house in Jerusalem, and knew the high priest per- 
sonally. This superiority in circumstances might have 
emboldened the mother of James and John to make 
for them the request for precedence over the other 
disciples. John's mother was a devout follower of 
Jesus, though we are not informed as to the religious 
character of his father. John was originally a disciple 
of John the Baptist, ^-nd was one of the first whom 
Jesus c^alled to the apostleship. He is supposed to 
have written the Apocalypse during his banishment to 
Patmos. Eeturning to Ephesus, he established a theo- 
logical school for the supply of competent pastors, the 



264 Christianity. 

season of miracles having ended for some reason which 
we will not undertake to give. While superintending 
this school he wrote his gospel and epistles. 

There was much in John to admire, and some 
things to condemn. His temper was bad, which, with 
his irritable tarn of mind and his impetuosity, marred 
his character. Some historians say that he overcame 
these defects in his advanced age. The dreamily dull 
and sluggishly even-tempered seldoni attain to any- 
thing above mediocrity. The ardent, high-toned, and 
of youthful temper, are those who do most for the 
world. So, on the whole, John is entitled to our grate- 
ful remembrance. All his qualities combined in the 
end in softness, mildness, richness of feeling, and 
love. 

In speaking of the Gospels, Origen says that, as 
they are the chief of all writings, bo the gospel of John 
is the chief of all the Gospels. Matthias Claudius, an 
eccentric German writer, says : " It delights me most 
of all to read in St. John. There is in him something 
so entirely wonderful ; twilight and night, and through 
it the swift, darting lightning ; twilight and cloud, 
and behind the cloud the full moon, bodily; some- 
thing so deeply, sadly pensive, so high, so full of 
anticipation, that one cannot have enough of it. With 
me, reading John is as though I saw him leaning on 
the bosom of his Master at the Last Supper. I am 
far from understanding everything I read, but it often 



Evangelical and Apostolical Authority, 265 

seems to me as if what Joliii meant was floating before 
me in the distance ; and even here I look into a pas- 
sage altogether dark : I liave a foretaste of some great, 
glorious meaning which I shall one day understand ; 
and for this reason I grasp so eagerly after every new 
interpretation of the gospel of John." According to 
Prof. Stowe, John was the youngest of the apostles, 
and four or five years j'ounger than Jesus. 

Mark writes for the grave, severe, matter-of-fact 
Romans ; Luke for the versatile and learned Greek, 
whose eager curiosity could never sleep ; and Jolm 
for the deep, reflecting spirit, which feels the want of 
that which earth cannot afford. Matthew exhibited 
the human and subordinate; John, the spiritual and 
divine; Mark, his official character; and Luke, his 
personal history of Jesus. 

The common belief among High-Church people — 
who intend, at all events, to believe enough and per- 
form ceremony enough to carry them to heaven, if 
such a place is to be gained in tliat way— is, that all 
the writings which now comprise the New Testament 
were prepared under the direct guidance of the Maker 
and Governor of all things, so that no important error 
could be committed, and that, therefore, they consti- 
tute a perfect and harmonious whole. Careful exam- 
ination will show how groundless such an opinion is. 
We have a right to ask for the evidence that all the 
writers of the New Testament had imbibed the spirit 



266 Christianity. 

of Jesus, and were all faithful and infallible expounders 
of his doctrine. To presume that such was the case 
is not enough. In a matter of such transcendent im- 
portance presumption will not do. The important fact 
remains, and will not be ignored by the unprejudiced 
reader, that these evangelists and apostles do not agree 
in their statements. 

We make copious extracts from a carefully and ably 
written work, " The Creed of Christendom," by W. 
K. Greg. He says : 

" The apostles did disagree among themselves in 
their exposition of the nature and constituents of their 
Master's system — and' this, too, in matters of no small 
significance : they are not, therefore, infallible or cer- 
tain guides. 

"Putting aside personal and angry contentions, 
such as those recorded in Acts xv, 39, which, however 
undignified, are, we fear, natural even to holy men, 
the first recorded dispute among the apostles we find 
to have related to a matter of the most essential im- 
portance to the character of Christianity, viz., whether 
or not the Gospel should be preached to any but 
Jews — whether the Gentiles were to be admitted into 
the fold of Christ. We find (chap, xi) that when the 
apostles and brethren in Judea heard that Peter had 
ventured to visit Gentiles, to eat with them, to preach 
to them, and even to baptize them, they were aston- 
ished and scandalized by the innovation, and ' con- 



Evangelical and Apostolical Authority. 267 

tended with liim.' The account of the discussion 
which ensued throws light upon two very interesting 
questions : upon the views entertained by Jesus him- 
self (or at least as to those conveyed by him to his 
disciples) as to the range and limit of his mission ; 
and upon the manner in which, and the grounds on 
which, controversies were decided in the early Church. 
" We have been taught to regard Jesus as a prophet 
who announced himself as sent from God on a mission 
to preach repentance, and to teach the way of life to 
all mankind, and who left behind him the apostles to 
complete the work which lie was compelled to leave 
unfinished. The mission of Moses was to separate and 
educate a peculiar people, apart from the rest of the 
world, for the knowledge and worship of the one true 
God ; the mission of Christ was to bring all nations 
to that knowledge and worship — to extend to all man- 
kind that salvation which, in his time, was considered 
to belong to the Jews alone, as well as to point to a 
better and wider way of life. Such is the popular and 
established notion. But when we look into the New 
Testament we find little to confirm this view, and 
much to negative it. Putting aside our own prepos- 
sessions, and inferences drawn from the character of 
Christ, and the comprehensive grandeur of his doc- 
trine, nothing can well be clearer, from the evidence 
presented to us in the Scriptures, than that Jesus con- 
sidered himself sent not so much to the world at 



268 Christianity. 

large as to the Jews exclusively — to bring back his 
countrymen to the true essence a.nd spirit of that re- 
ligion whose purity had in his dpys been so grievously 
corrupted. And to elevate and enlarge their views 
from the stores of his own rich and comprehensive 
mind. 

" It wull be allowed by all that the apostles, at the 
commencement of their ministry after the crucifixion 
of their Lord, had not the lea&t idea that their mission 
extended to any but the Jews, or that their Master 
was anything but a Jewish Messiah and Deliverer. 
Their first impatient question to him when assembled 
together after the resurrection is said to have been, 
'Lord, wilt thou at this time restore the kingdom to 
Israel V (Acts i, 6). The whole of the account we are 
now considering brings out in strong relief their no- 
tions as to the narrow limits of their ministry. When 
Peter is sent for by Cornelius, and hears the relation 
of his vision, he exclaims, as if a perfectly new idea 
liad struck him, ' Of a truth I perceive that God is 
no respecter of persons ; but in every nation he that 
feareth him and worketh righteousness is accepted 
of him ' (Acts x, 34) ; and he goes on to expound 
' the word which God sent to the children of Israel^ 
(36), and which the apostles were commanded to 
'preach to the people' (42); 'the people,' as the con- 
text (41) shows, meaning simply the Jews. The Jew- 
ish believers, we are told (45), ' as many as came with 



Evangelical and Apostolical Authority. 269 

Peter, were astonished, because that on the Gentiles 
also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.' 
Wlien Peter was called to account by the other apos- 
tles for having preached to and baptized Gentiles (xi, 
1) — a proceeding which evidently (xi, 2, 3) shocked 
and surprised them all — he justified himself, not by 
reference to any commands of Jesus, not by quoting 
precept or example of his Master, but simply by re- 
lating a vision or dream which he supposed to pro- 
ceed from a divine suggestion. The defense appeared 
valid to the brethren, and they inferred from it, in a 
manner which shows what a new and unexpected light 
had broken in upon them, 'Then hath God also to 
the Gentiles granted repentance unto life ' (xi, 18). 
Now, could this have been the case had Christ given 
his disciples any commission to preach the gospel to 
the Gentiles, or given them the slightest reason to 
suppose that other nations besides the Jews were 
included in that commission ? (See also, for confirma- 
tion, xi, 19, and xiii, 46.) It is to be observed, also, 
that throughout the elaborate arguments contained in 
the Epistle to the Romans to show that the gospel 
ought to be preached to the Gentiles — that there is 
no difi:erence between Greek and Jew, etc. — Paul, 
though he quotes largely from the Hebrew prophets, 
never appeals to any sayings of Jesus in confirmation 
of his view; and in the Acts, in two instances, his 
mission to the Gentiles is represented as arising out 



270 Christianity, 

of a direct subsequent revelation (in a vision) to him- 
self (Acts xxii, 21 ; xxvi, 17; ix, 15). 

"As, therefore, none of the apostles, either in their 
writings or in their discussions, appeal to the sayings 
or deeds of Jesus during his lifetime as their warrant 
for preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, but, on 
the contrary, one and all manifest a tot^l ignorance 
of any such deeds or sayings, we think it must be 
concluded that the various texts extant conveying his 
commands to ' preach the Gospel to all nations ' could 
never have proceeded from him, but ^re to be ranked 
among the many ascribed sayings, embodying the ideas 
of a later period, which we find both in the Acts and 
the Evangelists. None of these are quoted or referred 
to by the apostles in their justification, and therefore 
could not have been known to them, and, since un- 
known, could not be autlientic. 

'' On the other hand, there are several passages in 
the Gospels which, if genuine (as they appear to be), 
clearly indicate that it was not from any neglect or 
misunderstanding of the instructions of their Lord 
that the apostles regarded their mission as confined to 
the Jews. * Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and 
into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: but go 
rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel ' (Matt, 
x, 5, 6). ' I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the 
house of Israel' (Matt, xv, 24). 'Verily I say unto 
you, that ye which have followed me, in the regener- 



Evangelical and Apostolical Authority, 271 

ation when tlie Son of Man shall sit on the throne of 
his glory, ye also shall r>it upon twelve thrones, judging 
the twelve tribes of Israel' (Matt, xix, 28). 'It is 
easier for heaven and earth to pass than one tittle of 
the law to fail' (Luke xvi, 17). 'Think not I am 
come to destroy the law and the prophets: I am not 
come to destroy, but to fulfill' (Matt, v, 17). 'This 
day is salvation come to this house, forasmuch as ho 
also is a son of Abraham ' (Luke xix, 9). ' Salvation 
is of the Jews ' (John iv, 22). 

"It would appear, then, that neither the historical 
nor the epistolary Scriptures give us any reason for 
surmising that Jesus directed, or contemplated, the 
spread of his gospel beyond the pale of the Jewish 
nation ; that the apostles at least had no cognizance 
of any such views on his part ; that when the question 
of the admission of the Gentiles to the knowledge oi 
the gospel came before them, in the natural progress 
of events, it created considerable difference of opinion- 
among them, and at first the majority were decidedly 
hostile to any such liberality of view^ or such extension 
of their missionary labors. The mode in which the 
controversy was conducted, and the grounds on which 
it was decided, are strongly characteristic of the moral 
and intellectual condition of the struggling Church at 
that early period. The objectors bring no argument 
to show why the Gentiles should not be admitted to 
the gospel light, but they put Peter at once on his 



272 Christianity. 

defense, as havingj in preaching to others than Jews, 
done a thing which, jt?Wma facie j was out of rule, and 
required justification. And Peter replies to them, not 
by appeals to the paramount authority of Jesus; not 
by reference to the tenor of his life and teaching; not 
by citing the case of tho centurion's servant, or the 
Canaanitish woman, or the parables of the vineyard 
and the supper ; not by showing, from the nature and 
fitness of things, that so splendid a plan of moral ele- 
vation, of instruction — such a comprehensive scheme 
of redemption, according to the orthodox view — ought 
to be '"as widely preached as possible; not by arguing 
that Jesus had come into the world to spread the 
healing knowledge of Jehovah, of our God and Father, 
to all nations, to save all sinners and all believers ; 
but simply by relating a vision, or rather a dream — 
the most natural one possible to a man as hungry as 
Peter is represented to have been — the interpretation 
of which, at first a jpuzzle to him^ is suggested by 
the simultaneous appearance of the messengers of Cor- 
nelius, who also pleads a heavenly vision as a reason 
for the summons. This justification would scarcely by 
itself have been sufficient, for the dream might have 
meant nothing at all, or Peter's interpretation of it — 
evidently a doubtful and tentative one — might have 
been erroneous; so ho goes on to argue that the event 
showed him to have been right, inasmuch as, after his 
preaching, the Holy Ghost fell upon all the household 



Evangelical and Ai^ostolical Authority, 273 

of Cornelius : ' And as I began to speak, the Holy 
Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning. . . .For- 
asmuch, then, as God gave them the like gift as unto 
us who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, what was 
I, that I could withstand God V (Acts xi, 15, 17). This 
argument clenched the matter, satisfied the brethren, 
and settled, once for all, the question as to the admis- 
sion of the Gentiles into the Church of Christ. 

" It becomes necessary, therefore, to inquire more 
closely into the nature of this argument which ap- 
peared to the apostles so conclusive and irrefragable. 
What was this Holy Spirit ? and in w^hat way did it 
manifest its presence, so that the apostles recognized 
it at once as the special and most peculiar gift vouch- 
safed to believers ? 

'^ The case, as far as the Acts and the Epistles 
enable us to learn it, appears clearly to have been 
tliis: The indication — or at least tlie most common, 
specific, and indubitable indication — of tlie Holy Spirit 
liaving fallen upon any one, w^as his beginning to 
' speak with tongues,' to utter strange exclamations, 
unknown words, or words in an unknown tongue. 
Thus, in the case of the apostles on the day of Pen- 
tecost, we are told, ' They were all filled with the 
Holy Ghost, and began to speak with' other tongues^ 
as the Spirit gave them utterance ' (Acts ii, 4). Again, 
in the case of the household of Cornelius : ' And they 
....were astonished. .. .because that on the Gentiles 



r 



'■^:- 



274- Christianity, 

also was poured out tlie gift of the Holy Ghost. For 
they heard them speak vnth tongues^ and magnify 
God ' (x, 45, 46). The same indication appeared also 
in the case of the disciples of the Baptist whom Paul 
found at Ephesus : ' And when Paul had laid his hands 
on them, the Holy Ghost came upon them; and they 
spake with tongues^ and prophesied ' (xix, 6). The 
'speaking with tongues' (to which in the last instance 
is added ' prophesying,' or preaching) is the only speci- 
.fied external manifestation, cognizable by the senses, 
by which it was known that such and such individuals 
had received the Holv Ghost. What, then, w^as this 
' speaking with tongues ' ? 

" The popular idea is, that it was the power of 
speaking foreign languages without having learned 
them — supernaturally, in fact. This interpreta-tion de- 
rives countenance, and probably its foundation, from 
the statement of Luke (Acts ii, 2-8), which is consid- 
ered to intimate that the apostles preached to each 
man of their vast and motley audience in his own 
native language. But there are many diflaculties in 
the way of this interpretation, and much reason to 
suspect in the whole narrative a large admixture of 
the mythic element. 

''We have already seen that Luke is not to be 
implicitly trusted as an historian. 

" It appears from Matthew^ (x, 1, 8, 20) that the 
Holy Spirit had been already imparted to the apos- 



Evangelical and Apostolical Authority, 275 

ties during tlie lifetime of Jesus, and a second out- 
pouring, therefore, could not be required. John, how- 
ever, tells us (xx, 20) that Jesus expressly and personally 
conferred this gift after his resurrection, but hefore his 
ascension : ' And when he had said this, he breathed 
on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy 
Ghost. ^ But in the Acts, the ' breathing ' had become 
' a rushing mighty wind,' and the outpouring of the 
Spirit is placed some days after the ascension^ and 
the personal interposition is dispensed with. These 
discrepant accounts cannot all be faithful, and for 
obvious reasons we think that of Luke least authentic. 

" We have no evidence anyw^here that the apostles 
knew, or employed, any language except Hebrew and 
Greek — Greek being (as Ilaug has clearly proved) tlie 
cx)mmon language in use throughout the eastern prov- 
inces of the Roman empire. Nay, we have some reason 
to believe that they were not acquainted with other 
languages ; for, by the general tradition of the early 
Church, Mark is called the ' interpreter ' of Peter. 
Now. if Peter had been gifted as we imagine on the 
day of Pentecost, he would have needed no inter- 
preter. 

" If the knowledge of foreign languages possessed 
by the apostles was the work of the Holy Spirit, tlie 
work was most imperfectly done (a monstrous concep- 
tion), for, by universal consent, their Greek was a 
bald, barbarous, and incorrect idiom. 



276 . Christianity. 

"The language in wliicli the occurrence is related 
would seem to imply that the miracle was wrous^ht 
upon the hearers, rather than on the speakers — that 
w^hatever the language in which the apostles s^pohe^ 
the audience heard them each man in his own. ' When 
the multitude came together they were confounded, 
because that every man heard them speak in his own 
language.'. .. .'Behold, are not all these which speak 
Galileans ? And how hear we every man in our own 
tongue^ wherein we were born ? ' The supposition that 
the different apostles addressed different audiences in 
different languages, successively, is inconsistent with 
the text, which clearly indicates that the whole was 
one transaction, and took place at one time. ' Peter, 
standing up,. .. .said,. .. .These are not drunken, as 
ye suppose, seeing it is hut the third hour of the day^ 

" The people, we are told, ' were in doubt ' at the 
strange and incomprehensible phenomenon, and said, 
'What meaneth tliis?' while others thought the apos- 
tles must be drunk — a natural perplexity and surmise, 
if the utterances were incoherent and uninteUigible 
ejaculations; but not so, if tliey were discourses ad- 
dressed to each set of foreigners in their respective 
languages. Moreover, Peter's defense is not what it 
would have been in the latter case. He does not say, 
' We have been endowed from on high with the power 
of speaking foreign languages which we have never 
learned. We are, as you say, ignorant Galileans, but 



Evangelical and Apostolical Authority, 277 

God lias given us this faculty that we might tell you 
of his Son ' ; but he assures them that those utterances 
which led them to suppose him and his fellow-disciples 
to be drunk were the consequences of that outpouring 
of spiritual emotion which had been prophesied as 
one of the concomitants of the millennium. ' This is 
that which w^as spoken by the propliet Joel: And it 
shall come to pass in the last days, saith Jehovah, I 
will pour out of my spirit upon all flesh; and your 
sons and daughters shall prophesy, and your young 
men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream 
dreams.' 

"Luke indicates in several passages that in the 
other cases mentioned the Holy Spirit fell upon the 
recipients in the same mfianner^ and with the same 
results^ as on the apostles on the day of Pentecost 
(Acts X, 47; xi, 15-17; xv, 8, 9). Now, in these 
cases there is no reason w^hatever to believe that the 
^ gift of tongues' meant the power of speaking foreign 
languages. In the first case (that of Cornelius) it 
could not have been this ; for as all the recipients 
began to ' speak with tongues,' and yet were members 
of one household, such an unnecessary display of newly- 
acquired knowledge or powers would have been in the 
highest degree impertinent and ostentatious. 

" There can, we think, be no doubt — indeed, we 
are not aware that any doubt has ever been expressed — 
— that the remarks of Paul in the twelfth, thirteenth 



2 7 S Christ iaji ity. 

jind fourteentli chapters of the iirst epistle to the Cor- 
inthians, respecting the ' spet;king with tongues/ the 
* gift of tongues/ ' the unknown tongue,' etc., refer to 
the same iHculty, or supposed spiritutJ endowment, 
spoken of in the Acts, which fell on the apostles at 
tlie dav of Pentecost, and on the household of Corne- 
lius and the disciples of ApoUos, as already cited. 
The identiry of the gift referred to in all the cases is, 
we believe, unquestioned. ZSow, the language of 
Paul clearly shows that this • speakino^ with tonirues' 
was not preaching in a joreign language, but in an 
vnknoicn language — that it consisted oi unintelligible, 
and, probably, incoherent, utterances. He repeatedly 
distinguishes the gift of tongues from that of preach- 
ing (or, as it is there called, prophecy\ and the gift of 
speaking the unknown tongues from the gift of inter- 
preting the same. ' To one is given by the Spirit. . . . 
the working of miracles : to another, prophecy ; to 
anotli.^r, divers kimh of tonguts; to another, the inter- 
j?retation of toiigues,' . . . . ' Have all the gifts of heal- 
ing ] do all spe:ik with tongues ■ do all interpret ?' 
\1 Cor. xii, 10-30; see also xiii, 1, 2, S). 'Let him 
thftt speaketh in an unknown tongue pn>y that he may 
interpret' (xiv, 13\ Again, he classes this power oi 
tongues (so invivluable to missionaries, had it been 
really a capacity of speakino: foreij^rn lano:uao:es) verv 
low among spiritual endowments. ' First apostles, sec- 
ondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after thai miracles, 



Evangelical and Apostolical Aictho7nty. 279 

then gifts of healing, helps, governments, diversities of 
tongues' (xii, 28). 'Greater is he that prophesieth 
than he that speaketh with tongues ' (xiv, 5). He 
further expressly explains this gift to consist in unin- 
telligible utterances, Avhich were useless to, and lost 
upon, the audience. ' He that speaketh in an unknown 
tongue speaketh not unto man, but unto God, for no 
Tnan icnderstandeih him^ (xiv, 2; see also 6-9, 16). 
Finally he intimates pretty plainly that the practice 
of speaking tliese unknown tongues w^as becoming 
vexatious, and bringing discredit on the Church ; and 
he labors hard to discourage it. 'I thank rqy God 
that I speak with tongues more than ye all : yet in 
the Church I had rather speak five words with my 
understanding, that I might teach others also, than 
ten thousand words in an unknown tongue' (xiv, 18, 
19). 'If the whole Church be come together into one 
place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in 
unlearned men or unbelievers, will they not say ye 
are mad?' (23). 'If any man speak in an unknown 
tongue, let it be by two, or at most by three, and that 

by course; and let one interpret For God is not 

the author of confusion, but of peace ' (27-33 ; see also 
39, 40). 

" It is, we think, almost impossible to read the 
whole of the three chapters from w^hich the above 
citations were made, without coming to the conclusion 
that in the early Church there were a number of weak, 



280 Christianity, 

mobile, imaginative minds, who, over-excited by the 
sublimity of the new doctrine expounded to them, and 
by the stirring eloquence of its preacliers, passed the 
faint and undefinable line wliich separates enthusiasm 
from delirium, and gave vent to their exaltation in 
incoherent or inarticulate utterances, wliich the com- 
passionate sympathy, or the consanguineous fancies, of 
those around them dignified with the descri])tionL of 
speaking, or prophesying, in an unknown tongue. No 
one familiar w^ith physiology, or medical or religious 
history, can be ignorant liow contagious delusions of 
this nature alwa^^s prove ; and when once these inco- 
herences became tlie recognized sign of the descent of 
the Spirit, every one w^oiild, of course, be anxious to 
experience and to propagate them. 

"The lan2:ua<>:e of Paul in reference to the ^ un- 
known tongues ' appears to us clearly that of an honest 
and a puzzled man, whose life in an age of miracles, 
and whose belief in so many grand religious marvels, 
has prepared him to have faith in more; wliose rehg- 
ious humility will not allow him to prescribe in wluit 
manner tlie Spirit of God may, or may not, operate; 
but, at the same time, whose strong, good sense makes 
him feel that these incomprehensible utterances must 
bo useless, and were most probably nonsensical, un- 
worthy, and grotesque. He seems to have been anx- 
ious to repress the unk«nown tongue, yet unwilling 
harshly to condemn it as a vain delusion. 



Evangelical and Apostolical Authority. 281 

" That there was a vast amount of dehision and 
unsound enthusiasm in the Christian Church at the 
time of the apostles not only seems certain, but it 
could not possibly have been otherwise without sach 
an interference with the ordinary operations of natural 
causes as would have amounted to an incessant mira- 
cle. Wonders, real or supposed, were of daily occur- 
rence. The subjects habitually brought before the 
contemplation of believers were of such exciting and 
sublime magnificence that even the strongest minds 
cannot too long dwell upon them without some degree 
of perilous emotion. The recent events which closed 
the life of the founder of their faith, and, above all, 
the glorious truth, or the splendid fiction, of his resur- 
rection and ascension, were depicted with all the ex- 
aggerating grandeur of Oriental imagination. The 
expectation of an almost immediate end of the world, 
and the reception into glory and power of the living 
believer, the hope which each one entertained of being 
^ caught up' to meet his Kedeemer in the clouds, was of 
itself sufticient to overthrow all but the coldest tem- 
pers; while the constant state of mental tension in 
which they were kept by the antagonism and persecu- 
tion of the world without could not fail to maintain a 
degree of exaltation very unfavorable to sobriety either 
of thought or feeling. All these influences, too, were 
brought to bear upon minds the most ignorant and 
unprepared, upon the poor and the oppressed, upon 



282 Christianity. 

women and children ; and, to crown the whole, the 
most prominent doctrine of their faith was that of 
the immediate, special, and hourly influence of the 
Holy Spirit — a doctrine of all others the most liable 
to utter and gross misconception, and the most apt 
to lead to perilous mental excitement. Hence they 
were constantly on the lookont for miracles. Their 
creed did not supply, and indeed scarcely admitted, 
any criterion of what was of divine origin — for who 
could venture to pronounce or define how the Spirit 
might or should manifest itself? — and thus ignorance 
and folly too often became the arbiters of wisdom, 
and the ravings of delirium, were listened to as the 
words of inspiration and of God. If Jesus could have 
returned to earth thirty years after his death, and sat 
in the midst of an assembly of his followers who were 
listening in hushed and wondering prostration of mind 
to a speaker in the ' unknown tongue,' how would he 
have wept over the humiliating and disappointing 
spectacle ! How would lie have grieved to think that 
the incoherent jargon of delirium or liysteria should be 
mistaken for the promptings of his Father's Spirit ! 

. " We are driven, then, to the painful, but unavoid- 
able, conclusion that those mysterious and unintelli- 
gible utterances which tlie apostles and the early Chris- 
tians generally looked upon as the effects of the Holy 
Spirit, the manifestation of its presence, the signs of 
its operation, the especial indication and criterion of 



Evangelical and Apostolical Authority. 283 

its having fallen upon any one, were in fact simply 
the physiologically natural results of morbid and peril- 
ous cerebral exaltation, induced by strong religious 
excitement acting on uncultivated and susceptible 
minds — results which, in all ages and nations, have 
followed in similar circumstances and from similar 
stimuli; and that these ^signs' to which Peter appealed, 
and to which the other brethren succumbed, as proving 
that God intended the gospel to be preached to Gen- 
tiles as well as to Jews, showed only that Gentiles 
were susceptible to the same excitements, and mani- 
fested that susceptibility in the same manner, as the 
Jews. 

" Shortly after the question as to the admission of 
the Gentiles into the Christian Church had been de- 
cided in the singular and inconclusive manner above 
related, a second subject of dispute arose among the 
brethren — a corollary, almost, of the first — the nature 
of which strongly confirms some of the views we have 
just put forth. The dispute was this : whether it was 
necessary for those Gentiles who had been baptized 
and admitted into the Christian community to observe 
the ritual portion of the Jewish law ? — whether, in 
fact, by becoming Christians, they had, ij)so facto^ be- 
come Jews, and liable to Judaic observances? The 
mere broaching of such a question, and the serious 
schism it threatened in the inftmt sect, show how little 
the idea had yet taken root among the disciples of 



284: Christianity, 

the distinctness of the essence^ the superiority of the 
spirit, the newness of the dispensation, taught by Jesus, 
and how commonly Christianity was regarded as sim- 
ply a purification and renewal of Judaism. 

" It appears from the fifteenth chapter of the Acts 
that when Paul and Barnabas were at Antioch, teach- 
ing and baptizing the Gentiles, certain Jewish Chris- 
tians (Pharisees, we are told in verse 5) caused con- 
siderable trouble and dissension by asserting that it 
was necessary for the new converts ^ to be circumcised, 
and to keep the law of Moses' — a doctrine which Paul 
and Barnabas vehemently opposed. The question was 
so important, and the dissension became so serious, 
that a council of the apostles and elders was summoned 
at Jerusalem to discuss and decide the matter. 

'' The apostles not only diflfered from each other, 
but their respective views varied materially on im- 
portant subjects in the course of their ministry. 

" The apostles held some opinions which we know 
to be erroneous. They unanimously and unquestion- 
ingly believed and taught that the end of the world 
was at hand, and would arrive in the lifetime of the 
then -existing generation. The following are the pas- 
sages of the apostolic writings which most strongly 
express, or most clearly imply, this conviction : 

" Paul : ' This we say unto you hy the word of 
the Lord^ that we which are alive and remain unto 
the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which 



Evangelical and Apostolical Authority, 285 

are asleep. For. . . .the dead in Christ shall rise first; 
then ice which are alive and remain shall be cano-ht 
up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord 
in the air: and so shall we ever be w^ith the Lord' 
(I Thess. iv, 15, 16, 17). ^Biit this I say, brethren, 
the tim.e is short : it remaineth that both they that 
have wives be as though they had none ; and they 
that weep, as though they w^ept not; and they that 
rejoice, as though they rejoiced not ; and they that 
buy, as though they possessed not ; and they that use 
this world, as not abusing it ; for the fashion of this 
world passeth away'' (I Cor. vii, 29). ^Behold, I 
show you a mystery; we shall not all sleep^ but we 
Bhall all be changed' (I Cor. xv, 51; see also I Tim. 
ix, 1 ; II Tim. iii, 1). 

'^ Peter : ^An inheritance incorruptible, and unde- 
filed, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven 
for you, Avho are kept by the power of God through 
faith unto salvation, ready to he revealed in the last 

time'' (I Ep. i, 4, 5). ^Christ, who verily was 

foreordained before the foundation of the world, but 
was manifest in these last times for you' (19, 20). 
^The end of all things is at hand'' (iv, 7). 

'*John: 'Little children, it is the last time: and 
as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now 
there are many antichrists; whereby td?^ know that it 
is the last time'' (I Ep. ii, 18). 



280 Christianity. 

^' James: 'Be ye also patient ;... ./br the coming 
of the Lord draioeth nigh ' (v, 8). 

'' We may well conceive that this strong convic- 
tion must, in men like the apostles, have been some- 
thing far bej^ond a mere abstract or speculative opinion. 
In fact, it modified their whole tone of thought and 
feeling, and could not fail to do so. The firm and 
living faith that a few years would bring the second 
coming of their Lord in his glory, and the fearful 
termination of all earthly things, when ' the heavens 
should be gathered together as a scroll, and the ele- 
ments should melt w^ith fervent heat'; and that many 
among them should be still alive, and should witness 
these awful occurrences with human eyes, and should 
join their glorified Master without passing through the 
portals of the grave, could not exist in their minds 
without producing a profound contempt for all the 
pomps and distinctions of the world. 

" The death and resurrection of Christ m.ust have 
worked, and evidently did A^ork, a very great modifi- 
cation in many of the notions of the twelve apostles, 
and materially changed their point of view of their 
Lord's mission. But there are many indications that 
this change was not a radical 'one : it affected -rather 
the accessories than the essence of their Messianic 
notions ; for though they relinquished their expecta- 
tion of an immediate restoration of the kingdom, they 
still, as we have seen, retained the conviction that 



Evangelical and Apostolical Authority. 287 

that restoration would take place, in their own day, 
in a far more signal and glorions manner. Their 
views were spiritualized up to a certain point, hut no 
further^ even as to this great subject; and on other 
points the change seems to have been even less com- 
plete. The Epistle of James, indeed, is a worthy relic 
of one who had drunk in the spirit and appreciated 
the lessons of the meek, practical, and spiritual Jesus. 
But in the case of the other two apostles, Peter is 
Peter still, and John is the John of the Gospel. Peter 
is the same fine, simple, aftectionate, impetuous, dar- 
ing, energetic, impulsive character who asked to walk 
on tlie water, and was over-confident in his attachment 
to his Master, but who has now derived new strength 
and dignity from his new position, and, from the sad 
experience of the past, has learned to look with a 
steady eye on suffering and death. And John, in the 
Epistles, is precisely the same mixture of warm afifec- 
tionateness to his friends and uncharitableness to his 
enemies which the few glimpses we have of him in 
i\\Q, Gospels would lead us to specify as his character- 
istics. We meet with several passages in his writings 
which indicate that the gentle, forbearing and forgiving 
spirit of the Master had not yet thorouglily penetrated 
and chastened the _ mind of the disciple, several pas- 
sages which Jesus, had he read them, would have re- 
buked as before, by reminding his zealous follower 
that he knew not what manner of spirit he was of. 



288 Christianity. 

"The case of Paul is peculiar, and must be consid- 
ered by itself. His writings are more voluminous 
than those of the other apostles, in a tenfold propor- 
tion, and have a distinctive character of their own ; 
yet he never saw Christ in the flesh, and was a bitter 
persecutor of his followers till suddenly converted by 
a vision. What, then, were his means of becoming 
acquainted with the spirit and doctrines of his Lord ? 
" And, first, as to the vision which converted him. 
We have four narratives of tliis remarkable occur- 
rence : one given by Luke as an historian in the ninth 
chapter of the Acts ; a second, reported by Luke (xxii) 
as having been given by Paul himself in his speech 
to the people at Jerusalem ; a third, reported also by 
Luke (xxvi) as having been given by Paul to King 
Agrippa ; and a fourth, more cursory, from Paul him- 
self, in the first chapter of his Epistle to the Galati^ins, 
which omits entirely the external and marvelous part 
of the conversion, and speaks only of an internal rev- 
elation. 

" Now, there are certain discrepancies in these 
accounts, wliich, while they seem to show that the 
occurrence — either from carelessness, confusion, or 
defect of memory — has not been related with perfect 
accur;4.cy, leave us also in doubt as to the precise na- 
ture of this vision : as to whether, in fact, it was men- 
tal or external. Luke, in his narrative, omits to state 
whether the supernatural light was visible to the com- 



Evangelical and Apostolical Authority. 289 

panioiis of Paul as well as to himself. Paul, in his 
speech to the Jews, declares that it was. Paul is said 
to have heard a voice speaking to him, saying, ' Saul, 
Saul, why persecutest thou me V Luke affirms that 
Paul's companions heard this voice as well as himself; 
but this assertion Paul afterward, in his speech at 
Jerusalem (Acts xxii, 9), expressly contradicts; and 
we are, therefore, left with the impression that the 
supernatural voice fell rather upon Paul's mental than 
on his outward ear — was, in fact, a spiritual sugges- 
tion, not an objective fact. Again, in his speech at 
Jerusalem, Paul represents the heavenly voice as refer- 
ring him to future conferences, at Damascus (xxii, 10), 
for particulars of his commission; in his address to 
Agrippa (xxvi, 16-18), he represents the same voice 
as giving him his commission on the spot. 

" Thu5, in the three versions of the story which 
come, entirely or proximately, from the pen of Luke, 
we have positive and not reconcilable contradictions; 
while in that reference to it which alone we are certain 
proceeded from Paul, the supernatural and external is 
wholly ignored. 

"But the important practical question for our con- 
sideration is this : In what manner, and from what 
source, did Paul receive instruction in the doctrines 
of Christianity ? Was it from the other apostles, like 
an ordinary convert, or by special and private revela- 
tion from heaven ? Here, again, we find a discrepancy 



290 Christianity. 

between the statements of Luke and Paul. In Acts 
ix, 19, 20; xxii, 10 ; and xxvi, 20, it is expressly stated 
that immediately after his conversion, and during his 
abode with the disciples at Damascus, he was instructed 
in the peculiar doctrines of his new faith, and com- 
menced his missionary career accordingly, there and 
then. If this statement be correct, his teaching will 
have the authority due to that of an intelligent and 
able man well instructed at second hand^ but no 
more. Paul, however, entirely contradicts this sup- 
position, and on several occasions distinctly and em- 
phatically declares that he did not receive his religious 
teaching from any of the disciples or apostles (whom 
he rather avoided than otherwise), but by dh-ect super- 
natural communications from the Lord Jesus Christ.'' 



CHAPTER VI. 

COERECTNESS OF GOSPEL HISTORY 

It is not our intention in this chapter to assail the 
truth of the Christian Gospel in regard to what may 
really be called Gospel, or to express any eentiment 
which may justly be considered irreverent. If there 
be anything that we ought to love and revere, it is 
what we call the Gospel of Jesus ; but what is mere 
history of the times in which he lived, or a record of 
the life and conduct of those associated with him during 
his brief ministry, or a recital of the fabulous stories 
put forth in connection with what was said and done, 
we are disposed to accept with such allowance as 
sound sense dictates. All that fell from the lips of 
Jesus which may be called instruction and direction 
for holy living, we support and maintain against all 
doubt or cavil as the truth of God and God's truth. 
Anything that cannot be sustained on the basis of 



292 Christianity, 

Bound reason ought not to be contended for by us 
or by any one else. 

We continue, at some length, our quotations from 
'•The Creed of Christendom." Mr. Greg observes: 

" According to the universal expectation, the Mes- 
siah v^as to be born of the seed of Abraham and the 
lineage and tribe of David. Accordingly, the Gospel 
opens with an elaborate genealogy of Jesus, tracing 
him through David to Abraham. Now, in the first 
place, this genealogy is not correct; secondly^ if the 
remainder of the chapter is to be received as true, it 
is in no sense the genealogy of Jesus ; and, thirdly^ 
it is wholly and irreconcilably at variance with that 
given by Luke." 

Matthew says there were fourteen generations 
from Abraham to David ; from David to the carrying 
away into Babylon, fourteen ; and from the carrying 
away into Babylon to Christ, fourteen generations. 
This cannot be made out in the last series without 
disturbing the count of the others. The number four- 
teen in the second series is only obtained by the omis- 
sion of four generations, viz. : three between Joram 
and Ozias, and one between Josiah and Jeconiah. 
Only four generations are reckoned between Nahshon, 
M'ho lived in the time of Mos.es, and David — a period 
of four hundred years. (Compare Numbers i, Y, with 
Kuth, iv, 20.) 

Mr. Greg goes on to say: 



Correctness of Gosjyel History, 293 

"The genealogy here given, correct or incorrect, 
is the genealogy of Joseph^ who was in no sense what- 
ever the father (or any relation at all) of Jesus, since 
this last, we are assured (verses 18 and 25), was in 
his mother's womb before she and her husband came 
together. The story of the Incarnation and the gen- 
ealogy are obviously at variance ; and no ingenuity, 
unscrupulously as it has been applied, can produce 
even the shadow of an agreement; and when the flat 
contradiction given to each other by the 1st and the 
18th verses is considered, it is difficult for an unpreju- 
diced mind not to feel convinced that the author of 
the genealogy both in the first and third gospels was 
ignorant of the story of the Incarnation. The rela- 
tion in Matthew is simple, natural, and probable : the 
surprise of Joseph at the pregnancy of his betrothed^ 
his anxiety to avoid scandal and exposure, his satisfac- 
tion through the means of a dream, present precisely 
the line of conduct we should expect from a simple, 
pious, and confiding Jew. 

" ' All these things were done,' says Matthew, ' that 
it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by 
the prophet, saying. Behold, a virgin shall be with 
child, and shall bring forth a son,' etc., etc. Now, 
this is one of the many instances which we shall have 
to notice in which this evangelist quotes prophecies 
as intended for Jesus, and as fulfilled in him, which 
have not the slightest relation to him or his career. 



204- Christianity. 

The adduced prophecy is simply an assurance sent to 
the unbelieving Ahaz that before the child which the 
M'il'e of Isaiali would shortly conceive (see Isa. viii, 2-4) 
Avas old enough to speak, or to know good from evil, 
the conspiracy of Syria and Ephraim against the king 
of Judoa should be dissolved, and had manifestlv no 
reference to Jesus. 

'^ AVe shall find many instances in which this tend- 
ency of Matthew to find in Jesus the fulfillment of 
prophecies, which he erroneousli/ conceived to refer to 
him, has led liim to narrate circumstances respecting 
which the other evangelists are silent. Thus, in ii, 
13-15, we are told that, immediately after the visit of 
the Magi, Joseph took Mary and the child, and fied 
into Egypt, remaining there till the death of Herod, 
' that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the 
Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I 
called my son.' The passage in question occurs in 
Hosea xi, 1, and has not the slightest reference to 
Christ. It is as follows : * When Israel was a child, 
then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt/ 
Here is an event related, very improbable in itself, 
fiatlv contradicted bv Luke's historv, and which oc- 
curred, we are told, that a prophecy niiglit be fulfilled 
to which it had no reference, of winch it was no ful- 
fillment, and which, in fact, was no prophecy at all. 

" A similar instance occurs innnediately afterward 
in the sam<? chapter. AVe are told that Herod, when 



Correctness of Gosju'l Jfisfory. 295 

ho found ' that he was mocked of the wise men, was 
exceeding wroth, and sent forth and slew all the chil- 
dren that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts 
thereof, from two years old and under ' — an act w^hich 
is not suitable to the known character of Ilerod, who 
was cruel and tyrannical, but at the same time crafty 
and politic, not silly nor insane ; which, if it had oc- 
curred, must have created a prodigious sensation, and 
made one of the most prominent points in Herod's 
history : yet of w^hich none of the other evangelists, 
nor any historian of the day, nor Josephus, makes any 
mention. But this also, according to Matthew's no- 
tion, w^as the fulfillment of a propliecy. 'Then was 
fulfilled that w^hich w^as spoken by Jeremy the prophet, 
saying. In Rama there was a voice heard, lamentation, 
and w^eeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for 
her children, and would not be comforted, because 
they are not.' Here, again, the adduced prophecy was 
quite irrelevant, being simply a description of the 
grief of Judea for the captivity of her children, accom- 
panied by a promise of their return. 

" A still more unfortunate instance is found at the 
23d verse, where we are told that Joseph abandoned 
his intention of returning into Judea, and turned aside 
into Galilee, and came and dwelt at Nazareth, ' that 
it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the propliots, 
He shall be called a Nazarene.' Now', in the first 
place, the name Nazarene was not in use till long 



296 Christianity. 

afterward ; secondly, there is no such prophecy in the 
Old Testament. The evangelist, perhaps, had in his 
mind the words that were spoken to the mother of 
Samson (Judges xiii, 5) respecting her son : ' The 
child shall be a Nazarite [i. e.^ one bound by a vow, 
w^hose hair was forbidden to be cut — -w^hich never was 
the case with Jesus] unto God from the womb/ 

" In this place we must notice the marked discrep- 
ancy between Matthew and Luke as to the original 
residence of the parents of Jesus. Luke speaks of 
them as living at Nazareth before the birth of Jesus; 
Matthew as having left their former residence, Bethle- 
hem, to go to Nazareth, only after that event, and 
from peculiar considerations. Critics, however, are 
disposed to think Matthew right on this occasion. 

" The Jews are frequently represented as urging 
that Jesus could not be the Messiah, because he was 
not born at Bethlehem ; and neither Jesus nor his 
followers ever set them right on this point. 

" The three Synoptical evangelists (Matt, xxii, 41 ; 
Mark xii, 35 ; Luke xx, 41) all record an argument 
of Christ addressed to the Pharisees, the purport of 
which is to show that the Messiah need not be, and 
could not be, the son of David. 'While the Phari- 
sees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, saying. 
What think ye of Christ ? whose son is he ? They say 
unto him, The son of David. He saith unto them, 
How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, 



Correctness of Gospel History. 297 

The Lord saith unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right 
hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool ? If 
David then call him Lord, how is he his son V Now, 
be the argument good or bad, is it conceivable that 
Jesus should have brought it forward if he were really 
a descendant of David ? Must not the intention of it 
have been to argue that, though not a son of David, 
he might still be the Christ? 

" Li xxi, 2-4, 6-7, the entry into Jerusalem is thus 
described : ' Then sent Jesus two disciples, saying unto 
them. Go into the village over against you, and straight- 
way ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: 
loose them, and bring them to me.... And the disci- 
ples went and did as Jesus commanded them, and 
brought the ass and the coltj and put on them their 
clothes, and set him thereon.' Mark, Luke, and John, 
who all mention the same occurrence, agree in speak- 
ing of one animal only. But the liberty which Mat- 
thew has taken with both fact and probability is at 
once explained when we read in the 4th verse : ' All 
this was done that it might be fulfilled which was 
spoken by the prophet, saying, Tell ye the daughter 
of Zion, Behold, thy king cometh unto thee, meek, 
and sitting on an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass'; 
this has no allusion to any times but those in which it 
was uttered, and which, moreover, is not found in the 
prophet whom Matthew quotes from, but in another. 

" The second chapter opens with an account (pecu- 



298 Christianity. 

liar to Matthew) of the visit of the wise men of the 
East to Bethlehem, whither they were guided by a star 
which went before them and stood over the house in 
wliich the infant Jesus lay. The general legendary 
character of the narrntive, its similarity in style with 
those contained in the apocryphal gospels, and more 
especially its conformity with those astrological notions 
which, though prevalent in the time of Matthew, have 
been exploded by the sounder scientific knowledge of 
our days — all unite to stamp upon the story the im- 
press of poetic or mythic fiction. 

"In Matt, viii, 28-34:, w^e have an account of the 
healing of two demoniacs, whose disease (or whose 
devils, according to the evangelist) was communicated 
to an adjacent herd of swine. Now, putting aside the 
great improbability of two madmen, as fierce as these 
are described to be, living together, Mark and Luke, 
who both relate the same occurrence, state that there 
W'as one demoniac — obviously a much preferable ver- 
sion of the narrative. 

"In the same manner, in xx, 30-34, Matthew re- 
lates the cure of two blind men near Jericho^ Mark 
and Luke narrate the same occurrence, but speak of 
only one blind man. This story aflfords, also, an exam- 
ple of the evangelist's carelessness as a compiler, for 
(in ix, 27) he has already given the same narrative, 
but has assigned to it a different locality. 
»*^ "The feeding of the five thousand is related by all 



Correctness of Gospel History, 299 

four evangelists ; but the repetition of the miracle, 
with a slight variation in the number of the multitude 
and of the loaves and fragments, is peculiar to Matthew 
and to Mark. 

" The story contained in xvii, 27, et seq.^ of Jesus 
commanding Peter to catch a fish in whose mouth he 
should find the tribute money, has a most pagan and 
unworthy character about it, harmonizes admirably 
with the puerile narratives which abound in the apoc- 
ryphal gospels, and is ignored by all the other evan- 
gelists. 

" By Matthew we have crowded into one sermon 
the teachings and aphorisms which in the other evan- 
gelists are spread over the whole of Christ's ministry. 
In chap, xiii we find collected together no less than 
six parables of similitudes for the kingdom of heaven. 
In chap. X Matthew compresses into one occasion a 
variety of instructions and reflections which must have 
belonged to a subsequent part of the career of Jesus, 
where, indeed, they are placed by the other evangelists. 
In chap, xxiv, in the same manner, all the prophecies 
relating to tlie destruction of Jerusalem and the end 
of the world are grouped together ; while, in many 
instances, remarks of Jesus are introduced in the midst 
of others with which they have no connection, and 
where they are obviously out of place. 

" In chap, xi, 12, is the following expression : ' And 
frovi the days of John the Baptist until now^ the 



300 Christianity. 

kingdom of heaven sufFereth violence, and the violent 
take it by storm.' Now, though the meaning of the 
passage is difhcnlt to ascertain M^ith precision, yet the 
expression ^ from the days of John the Baptist until 
now ' clearly implies that the speaker lived at a consid- 
erable distance of time from John ; and though appro- 
priate enough in a man who wrote in the year A.D. 
65, or thirty years after John, could not have been 
used by one who spoke in the year A.D. 30 or 33, 
while John was yet alive. This passage, therefore, is 
from Matthew, not from Jesus. 

"In chap, xvi, 9-10, is another remark which we 
may say with perfect certainty was put unwarrantably 
into the mouth of Christ, either by the evangelist or 
the source from which he copied. We have already 
seen that there could not have been more than one 
miraculous feeding of the multitude; yet Jesus is here 
made to refer to two. 

"The passage at chap, xvi, 18, 19, bears obvious 
marks of being either an addition to the words of 
Christ, or a corruption of them. 'He saith unto them, 
But whom say ye that I am ? And Simon Peter an- 
swered and said. Thou art the Christ, the son of the 
living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, 
Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood 
hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is 
in Heaven. And I sav also unto thee, That thou art 
Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church; 



Correctness of Gospel History. 301 

and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And 
I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of 
Heaven : and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth 
shall be bound in heaven ; and wliatsoever thou shalt 
loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.' 

" The confession bv Simon Peter of his belief in 
the Messiahship of Jesus is given by all the four evan- 
gelists, and there is no reason to question the accuracy 
of this part of the narrative. Mark and John, as well 
as Matthew, relate that Jesus bestowed on Simon the 
surname of Peter, and this part, therefore, may also be 
admitted. The remainder of the narrative corresponds 
almost exactly with the equivalent passages in the 
other evangelists; but the 18th verse has no parallel 
in any of them. Moreover, the word ^ Church ' betrays 
its later origin. The word was used by the disciples 
to signify those assemblies and organizations into which 
they formed themselves after the death of Jesus, and 
is met with frequently in the Epistles, but nowhere in 
the Gospels, except in the passage under consideration, 
and one other, which is equally, or even more, con- 
testable. It was in use when the gospel was written, 
but not when the discourse of Jesus was delivered. It 
belongs, therefore, to Matthew, not to Jesus. 

" The following verse, conferring spiritual authority, 
or, as it is commonly called, 4he power of the keys,' 
upon Peter, is repeated by Matthew in connection with 
another discourse (in chap, xviii, 18); and a similar 



302 Christianity. 

passage is found in John (chap, xx, 23), who, however, 
places the promise after the resurrection, and repre- 
sents it as made to the apostles generally, subsequent 
to the descent of the Holy Spirit. But there are con- 
siderations whicli effectually forbid our receiving this 
promise, at least as given by Matthew, as having really 
emanated from Christ. In the Jirst place, in both 
passages it occurs in connection wdth the suspicious 
word ' Church,' and indicates an ecclesiastical, as op- 
posed to a Christian, origin. Secondly^ Mark, w^ho 
narrates the previous conversation, omits this promise, 
so honorable and distinguishing to Peter, which it is 
impossible for those who consider him as Peter's mouth- 
piece, or amanuensis, to believe he would have done, 
had any such promise been actually made. Luke, the 
companion and intimate of Paul and other apostles, 
equally omits all mention of this singular conversation. 
Thirdly^ not only do w^e know Peter's utter unfitness 
to be the depositary of such a fearful power, from his 
impetuosity and instability of character, and Christ's 
thorough perception of this unfitness, but we find that 
immediately after it is said to have been conferred upon 
him, his Lord addresses liim indignantly by the epithet 
of Satan, and rebukes him for his presumption and 
unspirituality ; and shortly afterward this very man 
thrice denied his Master. Can any one maintain it to 
be conceivable that Jesus should have conferred the 
awful power of deciding the salvation or damnation of 



Correctness of Gospel History. 303 

his fellow-men upon one so frail, so faulty, and so 
fallible ? 

" In chap, xxviii, 19, there is another passage which 
we may say with almost certainty never came from 
the mouth of Christ : ' Go ye therefore and teach all 
nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, 
and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.' That this 
definite form of baptism proceeded from Jesus is op- 
posed by the fact that such an allocation of the Father, 
Son and Spirit does not elsewhere appear, except as a 
form of salutation in the epistles ; w^hile as a definite 
form of baptism it is now^iere met with throughout the 
New Testament. Moreover, it w?.s not the form iised^ 
and could scarcely, therefore, have been the form com- 
TYianded; for in the apostolic epistles, and even in the 
Acts, the form always is 'baptizing into Christ Jesus/ 
or 'into the name of the Lord Jesus'; while the three- 
fold reference to God, Jesus and the Holy Ghost is 
only found in ecclesiastical writers, as Justin. Indeed^ 
the formula in Matthew sounds so exactly as if it 
had been borrowed from the ecclesiastical ritual that 
it is difficult to avoid the supposition that it was 
transferred thence into the mouth of Jesus. Many 
critics, in consequence, regard it as a subsequent in- 
terpolation. 

" There are two other classes of discourses attrib- 
uted to Jesus both in this and in the other gospels, 
over the character of which much obscurity hangs: 



304 Christianity, 

those ill which he is said to have foretold his own 
death and resurrection, and those in which he is rep- 
resented as speaking of his second advent. 

" Now, we will at once concede that it is extremely 
probable that Christ might easily have foreseen that a 
career and conduct like his could, in such a time 
and country, terminate only in a violent and cruel 
death ; and that indications of such an impending fate 
thickened fast around him as his ministry drew nearer 
to a close. It is even possible, though in the highest 
degree unlikely, that his study of the prophets might 
have led him to the conclusion that the expected Mes- 
siah, whose functions he believed himself sent to fulfill, 
was to be a suffering and dying Prince. We do not 
even dispute that he might have been so amply en- 
dowed with the spirit of prophecy as distinctly to 
foresee his approaching crucifixion and resurrection. 
But we find in the evangelists themselves insuperable 
difficulties in the w^ay of admitting the belief that he 
actually did predict these events in the language, or 
with anything of the precision, which is there ascribed 
to him. 

In the fourth gospel these predictions are three in 
number, and in all the language is doubtful, myste- 
rious, and obscure, and the interpretation commonly 
put npon them is not suggested by the words them- 
selves, nor that which suo-g-ested itself to those who 
heard them ; but is one affixed to them by the evan- 



Correctness of Gospel History. 305 

gelist after the event supposed to be referred to ; it 
is an interpretatio ex eventu. 

" In the tlirce Synoptical Gospels, however, the 
predictions are numerous, precise, and conveyed in 
language which it was impossible to mistake. Thus 
(in Matt, xx, 18, 19, and parallel passages) : ' Behold, 
we go up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man shall be 
betrayed unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes, 
and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver 
him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to 
crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again.' 
Language such as this, definite, positive, explicit, and 
circumstantial, if really uttered, could not have been 
misunderstood, but must have made a deep and in- 
eradicable impression on all who heard it, especially 
when repeated, as it is stated to have been, on several 
distinct occasions. Yet we find ample proof that no 
such irrvpression was made; that the disciples had no 
conception of tlieir Lord's approaching death — still less 
of his resurrection ; and that, so far from their expect- 
ing either of these events, both, when they occurred, 
took them entirely by surprise : they were utterly 
confounded by the one, and could not believe the 
other. 

" We find them, shortly after (na^y, in one instance 
instantly after) these predictions were uttered, disput- 
ing which among them should be greatest in their 
coming dominion (Matt, xx, 24 ; Mark ix, 35 ; Luke 



306 Christianity, 

xxii, 25) ; glorying in the idea of thrones, and asking 
for seats on his right hand and on his left, in his Mes- 
sianic kingdom (Matt, xix, 28, xx, 21 ; Mark x, 37 ; 
Luke xxii, 30) ; which, when he approached Jerusalem, 
they thought ' would immediately appear ' (Luke xix, 
11 ; xxiv, 21). When Jesus was arrested in the gar- 
den of Gethsemane, they first attempted resistance, 
and then * forsook him and fled ' ; and so completely 
were they scattered, that it was left for one of the 
Sanhedrim, Joseph of Arimathea, to provide even for 
his decent burial ; while the women who had ' watched 
afar off,' and were still faithful to his memory, brought 
spices to embalm the body — a sure sign, were any 
needed, that the idea of his resurrection had never 
entered into their minds. Further, when the women 
reported his resurrection to the disciples, ^ their words 
seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them 
not' (Luke xxiv, 11). The conversation, moreover, of 
the two disciples on the road to Emmaus is sufficient 
proof that the resurrection of their Lord was a con- 
ception which had never crossed their thoughts; and, 
finally, according to John, when Mary found the body 
gone, her only notion was that it must have been 
removed by the gardener (xx, 15). 

'' All this shows, beyond, we think, the possibility 
of question, that the crucifixion and resurrection of 
Jesus were wholly unexpected by his disciples. If 
further proof were wanted, we find it in the words of 



Correctness of Gospel History. 307 

* 
the evangelists, who repeatedly intimate (as if struck 

by the incongruity we have pointed out) that they 

' knew not,' or ^ understood not,' these sayings (Mark 

ix, 31 ; Luke ix, 45, xviii, 34 ; John xx, 9). 

'^ Here, then, we have two distinct statements, 
which mutually exclude and contradict each other. If 
Jesus really foretold his death and resurrection in the 
terms recorded in the Gospels, it is inconceivable that 
the disciples should have misunderstood him ; for no 
words could be more positive, precise or intelligible 
than those which he is said to have repeatedly ad- 
dressed to them. Neither could they have forgotten 
what had been so strongly urged upon their memory 
by their Master, as completely as it is evident from 
their subsequent conduct they actually did. They 
might, indeed, have disbelieved his prediction (as Peter 
appears in the first instance to have done), but in that 
case his crucifixion would have led him to expect his 
resurrection, or, at all events, to think of it : which 
it did not. The fulfillment of one prophecy would 
necessarily have recalled the other to their minds. 

" The conclusion, therefore, is inevitable, that the 
predictions were ascribed to Jesus after the event, not 
really uttered by him. It is, indeed, very probable 
that, as gloomy anticipations of his own death pressed 
upon his mind, and became stronger and more con- 
firmed as the danger came nearer, he endeavored to 
communicate these apprehensions to his followers, in 



308 Christianity. 

order to prepare them for an event so fatal to their 
worldly hopes. That he did so, we think the conver- 
sations during, and previous to, the last supper, afford 
ample proof. These vague intimations of coming evil — 
intermingled and relieved^ doubtless^ by strongly-ex- 
pressed convictions of a future existence of reunion 
and reward^ disbelieved or disregarded by the disci- 
ples at the time — recurred to their minds after all was 
over, and, gathering strength and expanding in definite- 
ness and fullness during constant repetition for nearly 
forty years, had, at the period when the evangelists 
wrote, become consolidated into the fixed prophetic 
form in which they have been transmitted to us. 

" Lessing and other German writers presume the 
existence of a number of fragmentary narratives^ 
some oral, some written, of the actions and sayinsrs of 
Christ, such as would naturally be preserved and 
transmitted by persons who had witnessed those won- 
derful words and deeds. Sometimes there would be 
two or more narratives of the same event, proceeding 
from different witnesses ; sometimes the same original 
narrative in its transmission would receive intentional 
or accidental variations, and thus come slightly modi- 
fied into the hands of different evangelists. Some- 
times detached sayings would be preserved without 
the context, and the evangelists would locate them 
where they thought them most appropriate, or provide 
a context for them, instances of which are numberless 



Correctness of Gospel History. 309 

in the Gospels. But all these materials would be frag- 
mentary. Each witness would retain and transmit 
that portion of a discourse which had impressed him 
most forcibly, and two witnesses would retain the 
same expressions witli varying degrees of accuracy. 
One witness heard one discourse, or was present at 
one transaction only, and recorded that one by writing 
or verbally, as he best might. Of these fragments 
some fell into the hands of all the evangelists, some 
only into the hands of one, or of two ; and in some 
cases different narratives of the same event, expression, 
or discourse would fall into the hands of different 
evangelists, which would account for their discrepan- 
cies — sometimes into tlie hands of one evangelist, in 
which case he would select that one which his judg- 
ment (or information from other sources) prompted, 
or would compile an account from them jointly. In 
any case, the evangelical narratives would be convpila- 
tions from a series of fragments of varying accuracy 
and completeness. The correctness of this theory ot 
the origin of the gospels seems to be not so much 
confirmed as distinctly asserted by Luke. ' Forasmuch 
as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a 
declaration of those things lohich are Tnost surely 
believed among us ^ even as they delivered them iinto 
tis which from^ the beginning were eye-witnesses and 
ministers of the word,^ " 

Mr. Greg continues at length, and says: 



310 Christianity. 

'^ Having arrived at the conclusion that the Gos- 
pels are compilations from a variety of fragmentary 
narratives, and reports of discourses and conversations, 
oral or written, which were current in Palestine from 
thirty to forty years after the death of Jesus, we now 
come to the very interesting and momentous inquiry, 
how far these narratives and discourses can be accepted 
as accurate and faithful records of what was actually 
said and done ? whether they can be regarded as thor- 
oughly and minutely correct ? and, if not, in what 
respects and to what extent do they deviate from that 
thorough and minute correctness ?" 

Mr. Greg adds : 

"The prophecies of the second coming of Christ 
(Matt, xxiv; Mark xiii ; Luke xvii, 22-37, xxi, 5-36) 
are mixed up w^ith those of the destruction of Jerusa- 
lem by Titus in a manner which has long been the 
perplexity and despair of orthodox commentators. The 
obvious meaning of the passages which contain these 
predictions — the sense in which they were evidently 
understood by the evangelists who wrote them down, 
the sense which we know from many sources they 
conveyed to the minds of the early Christians — clearly 
is, that the coming of Christ to judge the world should 
follow immediately (' immediately,' ' in those days ') 
the destruction of the Holy City, and should take 
place during the lifetime of the then-existing genera- 
tion. ^ Yerily, I say unto you, This generation shall 



Correctness of Gospel History, 311 

not pass away till all these things be fuliilled ' (Matt. 
xxiv, 34 ; Mark xiii, 30 ; Luke xxi, 32). ^ There be 
8ome standing here that shall not taste of death till 
they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom' 
(Matt, xvi, 28). ' Yerily, I say unto you, ye shall not 
have gone over the cities of Israel till the Son of Man 
be come ' (Matt, x, 23). ' If I will that he tarry till I 
come, what is that to thee V (John xxi, 23). 

" The opinions of Christ, as recorded in the Gospels, 
present rema<rkable discrepancies, and even contradic- 
tions. On the one hand, we read of his saying, ' Think 
not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets: 
I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I 
say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot or 
one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be 
fulfilled.' " 

'^ The writings which compose the volume called by 
UB the New Testament had assumed their present col- 
lective form, and were generally received throughout 
the Christian Churches, about the end of the second 
century. They were selected out of a number of 
others ; but by whom they were selected, or what 
principle guided the selection, liistory leaves in doubt. 
We find, moreover, that the early Fathers disagreed 
among themselves in their estimate of the genuineness 
and authority of many of the books; that some of 
them received books which we exclude, and excluded 
others which we admit. 



312 Ohristianity. 

" The Gospels, as professed records of Christ's 
deeds and words, will be allowed to form the most 
important portion of the New Testament collection. 
Now, the idea of God having inspired four different 
men to write a history of the same transactions — or, 
rather, of many different men having undertaken to 
write such a history, of whom God inspired four only 
to write correctly, leaving the others to their own 
unaided resources, and giving us no test by which to 
distinguish the inspired from the uninspired — certainly 
appears self- confuting, and anything but ^natural.' 
If the accounts of the same transactions agree, where 
was the necessity for more than one ? If they differ 
(as they notoriously do), it is certain that only one 
can be inspired — and which is that one ? In all other 
religions claiming a divine origin this incongruity is 
avoided. 

" Further, the Gospels nowhere . affirm, or even 
intimate, their own inspiration — a claim to credence 
which, had they possessed it, they assuredly would not 
have failed to put forth. Luke, it is clear from his 
exordium, had no notion of his own inspiration, but 
founds his title to take his place among the annalists, 
and to be listened to as at least equally competent 
with any of his competitors, on his having been fromi 
the first cognizant of the transactions he was about to 
relate. Nor do the apostolic writings bear any such 
testimony to them ; nor could they well do so, having 



C orrectness of Gospel History, 313 

(with tlie exception of the Epistles of John) been com- 
posed previous to them. 

" Ifc is true that we find in John much dogmatic 
assertion of being the sole teacher of truth, and much 
denunciation of all who did not listen submissively to 
him ; but neither in his epistles nor in those of Peter, 
James, or Jude, do we find any claim to special knowl- 
edge of truth, or guarantee from error by direct spirit- 
ual aid. 

"But, it will be urged, the Gospels record that 
Christ promised inspiration to his apostles. In the 
first place, Paul was not included in this promise. In 
the next place, we have already seen that the divine 
origin of these books is a doctrine for which no ground 
can be shown ; and their correctness, as records of 
Christ's words, is still to be established. The apostles 
clearly were not altogether inspired, inasmuch as they 
fell into mistakes, disputed, and disagreed among them- 
selves. 

" The only one of the New Testament writings 
which contains a clear affirmation of its own inspira- 
tion is the one which in all ages has been regarded as 
of the most doubtful authenticity — viz., the Apocalypse. 
It was rejected by many of the earliest Christian au- 
thorities. It is rejected by most of the ablest biblical 
critics of to-day. Luther, in the preface to his trans- 
lation, inserted a protest against the inspiration of the 
Apocalypse, which protest he solemnly charged every 



314: • Christianity. 

one to prefix who chose to publish the translation. 
In this protest one of his chief grounds for the rejec- 
tion is the suspicious fact that this writer alone blazons 
forth his own inspiration. 

"We can discover no ground for believing that 
the Scriptures are inspired^ taking that word in its 
ordinary acceptation — viz., that they ' came from God,' 
were dictated or suggested by him, were supernaturally 
preserved from error, both as to fact and doctrine, and 
must therefore be received in all their parts as authori- 
tative and infallible. This conclusion is perfectly com- 
patible with the belief that they contain a human 
record, and, in substance, a faithful record; a human 
history, and, in the- main, a true history — of the deal- 
ings of God with man : records^ not revelations ; his- 
tories to be investigated like other histories ; docu- 
ments of which the date, the authorship, the genuine- 
ness, the accuracy of the text, are to be ascertained 
by the same principles of investigation as we apply to 
other documents. 

"But when we come to the fourth gospel, espe- 
cially to those portions of it whose peculiar style be- 
trays that they came from John, and not from Jesus, 
the case is very different. We find here many pas- 
sages evidently intended to convey the impression that 
Jesus w^as endowed with a superhuman nature, but 
nearly all expressed in language savoring less of Chris- 
tian simplicity than of Alexandrian philosophy. The 



Correctness of Gospel History. 315 

evangelist commences his gospel with a confused state- 
ment of the Platonic doctrine as modified in Alexan- 
dria, and that the Logos was a partaker of the Divine 
Nature, and was the Creator of the world; on which 
he proceeds to ingraft his own notion, that Jesus was 
this Logos; that the Logos, or the divine wisdom, the 
second person in Plato's Trinity, became flesh in the 
person of the prophet of Nazareth. Now, can any one 
read the epistles, or the first three gospels, or even 
the whole of the fourth, and not at once repudiate 
the notion that Jesus was, and knew himself to be, 
the Creator of the world ? — which John affirms him 
to have been. Throughout this gospel we find constant 
repetitions of the same endeavor to make out a super- 
human nature for Christ ; but the ungenuineness of 
these passages has already been fully considered. 

" Once more : the doctrine of the Atonement, of 
Christ's death having been a sacrifice in expiation of 
the sins of mankind, is the keystone of modern ortho- 
doxy. It takes its origin from the epistles, but, we 
believe, can only appeal to three texts in the evange- 
lists for even partial confirmation. In Matt, xx, 28, 
it is said, ^ The Son of Man came, not to be ministered 
unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom 
for many^ — an expression which may countenance 
the doctrine, but assuredly does not contain it. Again, 
in Matt, xxvi, 28, we find, ' This is my blood of the 
New Testament, which is shed for many for the re* 



316 Christianity. 

mission of sins.^ Mark (xiv, 24) and Luke (xxi, 20), 
however, who give the same Bentence, both omit the 
significant exjyression. In the fourth gospel, John 
the BaptivSt is represented as saying of Jesus (i, 29), 
^Behold the Lamb of God, which t^keth away the sin 
of the world ' — an expression which may be intended 
to convey the doctrine, but which occurs in what we 
have already shown to be about the most apocryphal 
portion of the whole gospel. 

" We conclude that nearly all the discourses of 
Jesus in the fourth gospel are mainly the composition 
of the evangelist from memory or tradition, rather 
than the genuine utterances of our great Teacher. 
It may be satisfactory, as further confirmation, to 
select a few single passages and expressions, as to the 
unauthentic character of which there can be no ques- 
tion. Thus, at chap, iii, 11, Jesus is represented as 
saying to Nicodemus, in the midst of his discourse 
about regeneration : ' We speak that we do know, 
and testify that which we have seen ; and receive ye 
not our witness' — expressions wholly unmeaning and 
out of place^ in the mouth of Jesus ou an occasion 
where he is testifying nothing at ?)X}i^ but merely pro- 
pounding a mystical dogma to an auditor dull of com- 
prehension ; but expressions which are the evangelist's 
habitual form of asseveration and complain 

'' As to Christ's changing water into pure wine, 
it may well be said to be plain honesty perverted by 



Correctness of Gosj)el History, 317 

an originally false assnmption. No portion of tho 
gospel history, scarcely any portion of Old Testament, 
or even of apocryphal^ narratives, bears snch nnniis- 
takable marks of fiction. It is a story which, if fonnd 
in any other volume, would at once have been dis- 
missed as a clumsy and manifest invention. In the 
first place, it is a miracle wrouglit to supply more wine 
to men who had already drunk much — a deed whicli 
has no suitability to the character of Jesus, and no 
analogy to any other of his miracles. Secondly ^ though 
it was, as we are told, the first of his miracles, his 
mother is represented as expecting him to work a mira- 
cle, and to commence his public career with so unfit 
and improbable a one. Thirdly^ Jesus is said to 
have spoken harshly to his mother, asking her what 
they had in common, and telling her that ' his hour 
[for working miracles] was not yet come,' when he 
knew that it was come. Fourthly^ in spite of this 
rebuff, Mary is represented as still expecting a miracle, 
and this particular one^ and as making preparation 
for it : ^ She saith to the servants. Whatsoever ho saith 
unto you, do it ' ; and accordingly Jesus immediately 
began to give orders to tliem. Fifthly^ the superior 
quality of the wine, and the enormous quantity pro- 
duced (135 gallons, or, in our language, above 43 
dozen) are obviously fabulous. And those who are 
familiar with the Apocryphal Gospels will have no diffi- 
culty in recognizing the close consanguinity between 



318 Christianity, 

the whole narrative and the stories of miracles with 
which they abound. It is perfectly hopeless, as well 
as mischievous, to endeavor to retain it as a portion of 
authentic history. 

''In all the Synoptical Gospels we find instances 
of tlie cure of demoniacs by Jesus early in his career, 
in which the demons promptly, spontaneously and 
loudly bear testimony to his Messiahship. These 
statements occur once in Matthew (viii, 29) ; four times 
in Mark (i, 24, 34; iii, 11; v, 7); and three times in 
Luke (iv, 33, 41 ; viii, 28). Now, two points are evi- 
dent to common sense, and are fully admitted by 
honest criticism : Jirst^ that these demoniacs were 
lunatic and epileptic patients ; and, secondly, that 
Jesus (or the narrators who framed the language ol 
Jesus throughout the Synoptical Gospels) shared the 
common belief that these maladies were caused by 
evil spirits inhabiting the bodies of the sufferers. We 
are then landed in this conclusion (certainly not a 
probable one, nor the one intended to be conveyed by 
the narrators) : that the idea of Jesus being the Mes- 
siah was adopted by madmen before it had found en- 
trance into the public mind, apparently even before it 
was received by his immediate disciples — was in fact 
first suggested by madmen ; in other words, that it 
was an idea which originated with insane brains, which 
presented itself to, and found acceptance with, insane 
brains more readily than sane ones. The conception 



Correctness of Gospel History. 319 

of the evangelists clearly was that Jesus derived honor 
(and his mission confirmation) from this early recog- 
nition of his Messianic character by hostile spirits of a 
superior order of intelligences; but to us, who know 
that these supposed superior intelligences were really 
unhappy men whose natural intellect had been per- 
verted or impaired, the effect ol the narratives becomes 
absolutely reversed ; and if they are to be accepted as 
historical, they lead inevitably to the conclusion that 
the idea of the Messiahship of Jesus was originally 
formed in disordered brains, and spread thence among 
the mass of the disciples. The only rescue from this 
conclusion lies in tlie admission that these narratives 
are not historical, but mythic, and belong to that class 
of additions which early grew up in the Christian 
Church, out of the desire to honor and aggrandize the 
memory of its Founder, and which our uncritical evan- 
gelists embodied as they found them. 

'• Passing over a few minor passages of doubtful 
authenticity or accuracy, we come to one near the 
close of the gospel which we have no scruple in pro- 
nouncing to be an unwarranted interpolation. In 
chap, xxii, 36-38, Jesus is reported, after the Last 
Supper, to have said to his disciples, ' He that hath 
no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one. And 
they said. Lord, behold, here are two swords. And 
he said. It is enough.' Christ never could have uttered 
such a command, nor, we should imagine, anything 



320 Christianity. 

which could have been mistaken for it. The very 
idea is contradicted by his whole character, and utterly 
precluded by the narratives of the other evangelists ; 
for when Peter did use the sword, he met with a severe 
rebuke from his Master : ' Put up thy sword into the 
sheatli ; the cup which my Father hj^th given me, 
Bhall I not drink it ?' according to John. ' Put up 
again thy sword into its place ; for all they that take 
the sword shall perish by the sword,' according to 
Matthew. The passage we conceive to be a clumsy 
invention of some earlv narrator, to account for the 
remarkable fact of Peter having a sword at the time 
of Christ's apprehension ; and it* is inconceivable to 
us how a sensible compiler like Luke could have ad- 
mitted into his liistory such an apocryphal and unhar- 
monizing fragment." 

AVe have quoted from Mr. Greg more largely than 
was our intention, but the subjects are so ably han- 
dled that we could not refrain from giving his remarks 
to the extent we have. One more extract onlv will 

m 

be made : 

*' The account given by Luke (iii, 21) of the visible 
and audible signs from heaven at the baptism of Jesus 
has been very generally felt and allowed to be incom- 
patible with the inquiry subsequently made by John 
the Baptist (vii, 19) as to whether Jesus were the 
Messiah or not; and the incongruity is considered to 
indicate inaccuracy or interpolation in one of the two 



Correctness of Gospel History, 321 

narratives. It is justly held impossible that if John 
had seen the Holy Spirit descending upon Jesus, and 
had heard a heavenly voice declaring him to be the 
beloved Son of God, he could ever have entertained a 
doubt that he was the Messiah, whose coming ho him- 
self had just announced (16). According to Luke, as 
he now stands, John expected the Messiah; described 
himself as his forerunner; saw at the moment of the 
baptism a supernatural shape, and heard a supernatural 
voice announcing Jesus to be that Messiah : and yet, 
shortly after — on hearing, too, of miracles which should 
have confirmed his belief, had it ever wavered — he 
sends a message implying doubt (or rather ignorance), 
and asking the question which Heaven itself had 
already answered in his hearing. Some commenta- 
tors have endeavored to escape from the difficulty by 
pleading that the appearances at baptism might have 
been perceptible to Jesus alone; and they have ad- 
duced the use of the second person by the divine voice 
(' Thou art my beloved Son ') in Mark and Luke, and 
the peculiar language of Matthew, in confirmation of 
this view. But (not to argue that, if the vision and 
the voice were imperceptible to the spectators, they 
could not have given that public and conclusive attest- 
ation to the Messiahship of Jesus which was their 
obvious object and intention) a comparison of the four 
accounts clearly shows that the evangelists raeant to 
state that the dove was visible and the voice audible 



322 Christianity. 

to John and to all the spectators, who, according to 
Luke, must have been numerous. In Matthew, the 
grammatical construction of iii, 16, would intimate that 
it was Jesus who saw the heavens open and the dove 
descend, but that the expression ' alighting upon him,' 
eZxojuEvov en avrcv, should in this case have been 
kq) a-LTovy ^upon himself.' However, it is very possi- 
ble that Matthew may have written inaccurate, as he 
certainly wrote unclassical, Greek. But the voice in 
the next verse, speaking in the third person, ' This is 
my beloved Son,' must have been addressed to the 
spectators, not to Jesus. Mark has the same unhar- 
monizing expression, en avror, Luke describes the 
scene as passing before numbers, ' when all the people 
were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also being 
baptized ' ; and then adds to the account of the other 
evangelists that the dove descended 'in a bodily shape,' 
iv doDjua'^ixc^ EiSeiy as if to contradict the idea that it 
was a subjective, not an objective, fact — a vision, not 
a phenomenon ; he can only mean that it was an ap- 
pearance visible to all present. The version given in 
the fourth evangelist shows still more clearly that such 
was the meaning generally attached to the tradition 
current among the Christians at the time it was em- 
bodied in the Gospels. The Baptist is there repre- 
sented as affirming that he himself saw the Spirit de- 
scending like a dove upon Jesus, and that it was this 



Correctness of Gospel History. 323 

appearance which convinced him of the Messiahship 
of Jesus. 

" Considering all this, then, we must admit that, 
while the naturalness of John's message to Christ, and 
the exact accordance, of the two accounts given of it, 
render the historical accuracy of that relation highly 
probable, the discrepancies in the four narratives of 
the baptism strongly indicate either that the original 
tradition came from different sources, or that it has 
undergone considerable modification in the course of 
transmission ; and also that the narratives themselves 
are discredited by the subsequent message." 

If, as most Christians contend, the New Testament 
was all written by inspiration, how did it happen that, 
in matters so simple and plain as the inscription 
over the cross and the time of JeBus^ crucifixion, the 
accounts should be so different ? Mark says he was 
crucified the third hour (nine in the morning); John 
says it was the sixth hour (twelve at noon). Matthew 
gives the inscription, " This is Jesus the King of the 
Jews " ; Mark, " The King of the Jews " ; Luke, 
*' This is the King of the Jews " ; John, " Jesus of 
Nazareth, King of the Jews." 

These circumstances may be called trivial, and yet 
if the writers disagree so materially in what was plainly 
written before them, what gross errors may we not 
expect in the relation of other matters, much more 
difficult to remember, that were not written down at 



324 Christianity. 

all, but told and retold from one to another, and at 
last recorded by persons who were not present at the 
time they happened ! AVe are not informed that any 
of the apostles except Peter were present at the cruci- 
fixion, and he, according to Matthew, behaved badly 
(xxvi, 74) : '^ Then Peter began to curse and to swear, 
saying, I know not the man." Yet we are now called 
upon to believe in this same Peter — who, according to 
this inspired book, is guilty of the vilest perjury — as 
holding the keys to Paradise ! 

The circumstances attending the crucifixion are 
differently related in the four Synoptical books. Mat- 
thew says there was darkness over all the land, from 
the sixth hour to the ninth ; that the veil of the tem- 
ple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom ; 
that there was an earthquake, and the rocks were rent ; 
that the graves opened, and the bodies of many of the 
saints which slept arose and came out of their graves 
after the resurrection, and went into the holy city, 
and appeared unto many. What would our high 
Christians say if Spiritualists should relate, as truth, 
a thing of this sort now ? Mark makes no mention of 
an earthquake and the rocks rending, nor of the graves 
opening and the dead men walking out. Luke is also 
silent in regard to these occurrences. And though the 
WTiter of the book of John, w^hoever he was, details 
all the circumssances attending the crucifixion down 
to the burial of Christ, he says nothing about the dark- 



Correctness of Gospel History. 325 

ness, the veil of the temple, the earthquake, the rocks, 
the graves, or the dead men. 

While reading the account of these wonderful 
events, we can hardly realize the intense excitement 
they must have occasioned, or the deep impression 
they must have made on the public mind, at the time 
of their occurrence. No one, therefore, can think that, 
if they had been true, as the writer of Matthew's gos- 
pel relates them, they would have escaped the notice 
of the other evangelists. Ab faithful historians an 
account would have been given by all of them : the 
names of the saints restored to life would have been 
recorded; the fact of their whereabouts stated after 
they were first seen ; whether they went back into 
their graves, or remained among the living, and in 
what place their abode was fixed ; what they said or 
did ; and how long they remained before going back 
to their graves. 

Now, let the reader understand that we have full 
faith in the crucifixion of Jesus, and that he was appar- 
ently dead when he was taken down from the cross, 
but that he was not really dead. Nor can we see that 
it makes the least difiference as to the atonement, after 
he had suflTered on the cross, whether suspended ani- 
mation lasted a longer or a shorter time ; and in no 
other cases than such as we refer to do we believe in 
the resurrection of the body. Thousands of cases have 
been witnessed where, to even the practiced eye of a 



326 Christianity. 

physician, death had, to every appearance, taken place, 
and yet, hours, and sometimes days, afterward, life was 
found still to remain in the body, and the fact ascer- 
tained that the supposed dead were not dead. Faith 
in a spiritual resurrection is a proper and reasonable 
thing, while to us the resurrection of the body entire 
appears unreasonable and improbable. Not a shade 
of doubt ought to exist in the mind of any one as to 
the spiritual resurrection of Jesus, or that his spirit 
did not, at the time of his crucifixion, or subsequently, 
ascend to God, his Father and our Father. Of this 
we have spoken elsewhere. 



CHAPTEE VIL 

INSTRUCTION, DIRECTIOlSr, AND ADMONITION. 

If the- reader has concluded that we are inimical 
to the New Testament, we desire to say again that we 
are disposed to take it for what it is, rather than for 
what our better judgment tells us it is not. Our faith 
in God is as strong as it can be ; so is our belief and 
faith in Jesus of Nazareth, and in a holy spirit- — these 
three : bo far we are Trinitarians. This is as far as 
we can honestly go. 

We have no doubt that Jesus was sent into the 
world by God, his Father and our Father; and not 
only he, but others, with inferior powers, yet sent by 
God. So we see that the whole world is full of God, 
who is manifesting himself continually, through his 
inspiration, teaching us the way of truth and life. 
These manifestations may not be visible every mo- 
ment, but they have come, are coming, and will come. 
The power of God is acting without intermission, di- 



328 Christianity, 

reeling and enlightening. Were we so disposed, we 
might have more of this regenerating force, we might 
have more of God and his spirit. This, we are aware, 
is a repetition of what has been said frequently before, 
but we desire to keep it before our readers, to prevent 
their misunderstanding our views. 

The following are some of the many particular 
portions of the New Testament that we desire to no- 
tice. They are so plain that comments on most of 
them are superfluous. The Sermon on the Mount 
(Matt, v-vii) is given entire; for though this and other 
things which we quote are readily found in the Bible, 
we deem it proper to insert them here to the extent 
we do, and hope none will complain on that account: 

1. " And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a 
mountain : and when he was set, his disciples came 
unto him : 

2. "And he opened his mouth, and taught them, 
saying, 

3. " Blessed are the poor in spirit : for theirs is 
the kingdom of heaven. 

4. " Blessed are they that mourn : for they shall 
be comforted. 

5. " Blessed are the meek : for they shall inherit 
the earth. 

6. "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst 
after righteousness: for they shall be filled. 



Instruction^ Direction^ and Admomtion, 329 

7. " Blessed are the merciful : for they shall ob- 
tain mercy. 

8. " Blessed are the pure in heart : for they shall 
see God. 

9. " Blessed are the peacemakers : for they shall 
bo called the children of God. 

10. "Blessed are they which are persecuted for 
righteousness' sake : for theirs is the kingdom of 
heaven. 

11. " Blessed are ye when men shall revile you, 
and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil 
against you falsely, for my sake. 

12. " Rejoice, and be exceeding glad : for great is 
your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the 
prophets which were before you. 

13. " Ye are the salt of the earth : but if the salt 
have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted ? it is 
thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and 
to be trodden under foot of men. 

14. " Ye are the light of the world. A city that 
is set on an hill cannot be hid. 

15. "Neither do men light a candle, and put it 
under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth 
light unto all that are in the house. 

16. "Let your light so shine before men that they 
may see your good works, and glorify your Father 
which is in heaven. 

17. " Think not that I am come to destroy the 



330 Christianity. 

law, or the prophets : I am not come to destroy, but 
to fulfill. 

18. '' For verily I say unto you. Till heaven and 
earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass 
from the law, till all be fulfilled. 

19. ''Whosoever, therefore, shall break one of these 
least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall 
be called the least in the kingdom of heaven : but 
whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be 
called great in the kingdom of heaven. 

20. " For I say unto you, That except your right- 
eousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes 
and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the king- 
dom of heaven. 

21. '' Ye have heard that it was said by them of 
old time. Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall 
kill shall be in danger of the judgment: 

22. " But I say unto you. That whosoever is angry 
with his brother without a cause shall be in dano^er 
of the judgment : and whosoever shall say to his 
brother, Eaca, shall be in danger of the council : but 
whosoever shall say. Thou fool, shall be in danger ox 
hell fire. 

23. " Therefore, if thou bring thy gift to the altar, 
and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught 
against thee ; ^ • 

24. " Leave there thy gift before the altar, and 



Instruction^ Direction^ and Admonition. 331 

go thy way ; first be reconciled to thy brother, and 
then come and offer thy gift. 

25. *' Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles 
thou art in the way with him ; lest at any time the 
adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge 
deliver thee to the ofiicer, and thou be cast into 
prison. 

26. "Yerily I say unto thee. Thou shalt by no 
means come out thence, till thou hast paid the utter- 
most farthing. 

27. " Ye have heard that it was said by them of 
old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery : 

28. " But I say unto you. That whosoever looketh 
on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery 
with her already in his heart. 

29. "And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it 
out, and cast it from thee : for it is profitable for thee 
that one of thy members should perish, and not that 
thy whole body should be cast into hell. 

30. "And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it 
off, and cast it from thee : for it is profitable for thee 
that one of thy members should perish, and not that 
thy whole body should be cast into hell. 

31. " It hath been said, Whosoever shall put 
away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorce- 
ment : 

32. "But I say unto you, That whosoever shall 
put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, 



332 Christianity. 

causeth her to commit adultery : and whosoever shall 
marry her that is divorced committeth adultery. 

33. " Again, ye have heard that it hath been said 
by them of old time. Thou shalt not forswear thyself, 
but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths: 

34. " But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither 
by heaven ; for it is God's throne : 

35. "Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: 
neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great 
King. 

36. " Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, be- 
cause thou canst not make one hair white or black. 

37. "But let your communication be, Yea, yea; 
Nay, nay : for whatsoever is more than these cometh 
of evil. 

38. " Ye have heard that it hath been said. An 
eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth : 

39. "But I say unto you. That ye resist not evil: 
but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, 
turn to him the other also. 

40. " And if any man will sue thee at the law, 
end take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also. 

41. "And whosoever shall compel thee to go a 
mile, go with him twain. 

42. " Give to him that asketh thee, and from him 
that would borrow of thee turn thou not away. 

43. " Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou 
shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy: 



Instruction^ Direction^ and Admonition. 333 

44:. " But I say unto you. Love your enemies, 
bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate 
you, and pray for them which despitefully use you^ 
and persecute you; 

45. " That ye may be the children of your Father 
which is in heaven : for he m^tketh his sun to rise on 
the evil and on the good, .^nd sendeth rain on the 
just and on the unjust. 

46. " For if ye love them which love you, what 
reward have ye ? do not even the publicans the same ? 

47. "And if ye salute your brethren only, what 
do ye more than others ? do not even the publicans so ? 

48. "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father 
which is in heaven is perfect." 

Matthew vi : 

1. " Take heed that ye do not your alms before 
men, to be seen of them : otherwise ye have no reward 
of your Father which is in heaven. 

2. " Therefore, when thou doest thine alms, do 
not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do 
in the synagogues and in the streets, that tliey may 
have glory of men. Yerily I say unto you. They h^ve 
their reward. 

3. "But when thou doest alms, let not thy left 
nand know what thy right hand doeth: 

4. " That thine alms may be in secret : and thy 
Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee 
openly. 



334 . Christianity. 

5. " And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as 
the hypocrites are : for they love to pray standing in 
the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that 
they may be seen of men. Yerily I say unto you, 
They have their reward. 

6. "But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy 
closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy 
Father which is in secret ; and thy Father which seeth 
in secret shall reward thee openly. 

7. " But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, 
as the heathen do : for they think that they shall be 
heard for their much speaking. 

8. " Be not ye, therefore, like unto them : for 
your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, 
before ye ask him. 

9. " After this manner, therefore, pray ye : Our 
Father which art in heaven. Hallowed be thy name. 

10. " Thy kingdom come. Thy will be ^ done in 
earth, as it is in heaven. 

11. " Give us this day our daily bread. 

12. " And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our 
debtors. 

13. " And lead us not into temptation, but deliver 
us from evil : For thine is the kingdom, and the power, 
and the glory, forever. Amen. 

14. " For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your 
heavenly Father will also forgive you : 



Instruction^ Direction^ and Admonition. 335 

15. "But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, 
neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. 

16. " Moreover, when ye fast, be not, as the hypo- 
crites, of a sad countenance : for they disfigure their 
faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily 
I say unto you. They have their reward. 

17. " But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine 
head, and wash thy face; 

18. " That thou appear not unto men to fast, but 
unto thy Father which is in secret : and thy Father 
which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. 

19. "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon 
earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where 
thieves break through and steal : 

20. " But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, 
where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where 
thieves do not break through nor steal : 

21. "For where your treasure is, there will your 
heart be also. 

22. " The light of the body is the eye : if, there- 
fore, thine eye be single, "thy whole body shfiU be full 
of light. 

23. " But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body 
shall be full of darkness. If, therefore, the light that 
is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness ! 

24. " No man can serve two masters : for either 
he will hate the one, and love the other ; or else he 



336 Christianity, 

will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye can- 
not serve God and mammon. 

25. "Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought 
for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall 
drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. 
Is not the life more than meat, and the body than 
raiment ? 

26. ^'Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow 
not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns ; yet 
your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much 
better than they ? 

27. " Which of you by taking thought can add one 
cubit unto his stature ? 

28. " And why take ye thought for raiment ? 
Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they 
toil not, neither do they spin : 

29. "And yet I say unto you. That even Solomon 
in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 

30. "Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass oi 
the field, which to-day is, and to-morrow is cast into 
the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye 
of little faith ? 

31. "Therefore take no thought, saying. What 
shall we qat? or. What shall we drink? or. Where- 
withal shall we be clothed ? 

32. " (For after all these things do the Gentiles 
seek) : for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have 
need of all these things. 



Instruction^ Direction^ and Admonition. 337 

33. " But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and 
his righteousness; and all these things shall be added 
unto vou. 

34. "Take, therefore, no thought for the morrow: 
for the morrow shall take thought for the things of 
itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." 

Matthew vii : 

1. "Judge not, that ye be not judged. 

2. " For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall 
be judged : and with what measure ye mete, it shall be 
measured to you again. 

3. " And why beholdest thou the mote that is in 
thy brother's eye, but considerest not the bq^m that is 
in thine own eye ? 

4. " Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me 
pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a 
beam is in thine own eye ? 

5. " Thou hypocrite, first east out the benm out 
of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to 
cast out the mgte out of thy brother's eye. 

6. " Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, 
neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they 
trample them under their feet, and turn again and^ 
rend you. 

7. " Ask, and it shall be given you ; seek, and ye 
shall find ; knock, and it shall be opened unto you : 

8. " For every one that asketh receiveth ; and he 



338 Christianity, 

that seeketh findetli ; and to him that knocketh it shall 
be opened. 

9. " Or -what man is there of you, whom if his 
Bon ask bread, will he give him a stone? 

10. " Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent ? 

11. "If ye^ then, being evil, know how to give 
good gifts unto your children, how much more shall 
your Father which is in heaven give good things to 
them that ask him ? 

12. " Therefore, all things whatsoever ye would 
that men should do to you, do ye even so to them : 
for this is the law and the prophets." 

21. "Not every one that saith unto me. Lord, 
Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven ; but he 
that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 

22. " Many will say to me in that day. Lord, Lord, 
have we not prophesied in thy name ? and in thy name 
have cast out devils ? and in thy name done many 
wonderful works ? 

23. "And then will I profess unto them, I never 
knew you: depart from me, ye that w^ork iniquity." 

This sermon, as a rule of action, a guiding chart 
to lead men in the path of duty, to live happily here 
and to secure a blessed hereafter, has, as a whole, no 
equal. With no other direction than that here given 
none would go far astray, if their aims and desires 
were right. God will lead us into all truth if we are 
willing to be led by him. 



Instruction^ Direction^ and Admonition. 339 

Whole pages might be filled with commendation 
of this superhuman production ; for no man could utter 
such words unaided by the express inspiration of God, 
the working of his spirit, the outpouring of his divine 
force and power. 

Matthew ix : 

9. " And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he 
saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of 
custom : and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he 
arose, and followed him. 

10. " And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat 
in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came 
and sat down with him and his disciples. 

11. "And when the Pharisees saw it, they said 
unto his disciples. Why eateth your Master with pub- 
licans and sinners ? 

12. "But when Jesus heard that, he said unto 
them, They that be whole need not a physician, but 
they that are sick. 

13. "But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I 
will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come 
to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance." 

1^0 w, there is high authority for saying that this 
book of Matthew was written by him, or by his dic- 
tation, not later than A.D. 68. If it was compiled by 
him, why does he speak of himself as he does in the 
9 th verse ? Does it not show that the stories and 
detached portions of what now constitute the book 



340 Christianity. 

were gathered np and put in such form as the com- 
piler deemed proper, as near as he could ascertain, a 
long time after Matthew ? Far be it from us to ac- 
cuse the writers of the New Testament of intentional 
wrong. They considered the writings of priceless 
value to the world, and so do we. 

These few words express, with great force, the 
inestimable value of the religion of Jesus (Matt, xi) : 

28. " Come unto me, all ye that labor and are 
heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 

29. " Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me ; 
for I am meek and lowly in heart : and ye shall 
find rest unto your souls. 

30. " For my yoke is easy, and my burden is 
light." 

Matthew xvi : 

24. "^ Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any 
man will come after me, let him deny himself, and 
take up his cross, and follow me. 

25. '^ For whosoever will save his life shall lose 
it ; and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall 
find it. 

26. '^For what is a man profited, if he shall gain 
the whole world, and lose his own soul ? or what 
shall a man give in exchange for his soul ? 

27. '' For the Son of man shall come in the glory 
of his Father with his angels; and then he shall re- 
ward every man according to his works. 



Instruction^ Direction^ and Admonition. 3il 

28. " Verily I say unto you, There be some stand- 
ing here which sliall not taste of death till they see 
the Son of man coming in his kingdom." 

We may say, in respect to this passage, that it 
shoNTs plainly there is something to be done in the 
way of duty to entitle us to be called Christians. 
Evil must be overcome, wicked thoughts driven out of 
the mind. Jesus must be followed not only in word, 
but in deed ; not in talk alone, but in action. It will 
be readily seen from the 28th verse that a strong 
expectation was cherished that the new kingdom was 
soon to be set up by Jesus. The same impression is 
obtained from many other passages. 

Matthew xx: 

20. " Then came to him the mother of Zebedee's 
children with her sons, worshiping him, and desiring 
a certain thing of him. 

21. "And he said unto her, What wilt thou? 
She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons 
may sit, the one on thy riglit hand, and the other on 
the left, in thy kingdom. 

22. " But Jesus answered and said. Ye know not 
what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I 
shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism 
that I am baptized with ? They say unto him, We 
are able." 

From the above extracts it is also evident that a 
kingdom was expected to be established by Jesus, and 



342 Christianity. 

that his most faithful and zealous followers expected 
to occupy high positions in it here on the earth. 
Matthew xxiii: 

13. "But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, 
hypocrites ! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven 
against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither 
suffer ye them that are entering to go in. 

14. " Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypo- 
crites ! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pre- 
tense make long prayer : therefore ye shall receive 
the greater damnation. 

15. "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypo- 
crites ! for ye compass sea and land to make one 
proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold 
more the child of hell than yourselves." 

23. "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypo- 
crites ! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cum- 
min, and have omitted the weightier matters of the 
law, judgment, mercy, and faith : these ought ye to 
have done, and not to leave the other undone. 

24. " Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, 
and swallow a camel. 

25. " Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypo- 
crites ! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and 
of the platter, but within they are full of extortion 
and excess. 

26. " Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which 



Instruction^ Direction^ and Admonition. 343 

is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them 
may be clean also. 

27. "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypo- 
crites ! for ye are like unto whited sepulchers, which 
indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full 
of dead men's bones, and of ^11 un cleanness. 

28. "Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous 
unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and 
iniquity. 

29. "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypo- 
crites ! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, 
and garnish the sepulchers of the righteous, 

30. "And say. If we had been in the days of our 
fathers, we would not have been partakers with them 
in the blood of the prophets. 

31. "Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, 
that ye are the children of them which killed the 
prophets. 

32. "Fill ye up, then, the measure of your fathers. 

33. " Te serpents, ye generation of vipers, how 
can ye escape the damnation of hell? 

34. "Wherefore, behold, I send unto you proph- 
ets, and wise men, and scribes : and some of them 
ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye 
scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from 
city to city: 

35. " That upon you may come all the righteous 
blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous 



34:4 Christianity. 

Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Baracliias, 
whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. 

36. " Verily I say unto you, All these things shall 
come upon this generation. 

37. " O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou ths^^t killest 
the prophets, and stoneth them that are sent unto 
thee, how often would I have gathered thy children 
together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under 
her wings, and ye would not ! 

38. " Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. 

39. "For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me 
henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh 
in the name of the Lord." 

In many respects these quotations are entitled to 
serious contemplation. And it may be well to have 
the reader understand that the term " scribe " was 
applied to those who adhered with great ten^icity to 
the law — a lawyer, an expounder of the Jewish law. 
Pharisaism took its rise B.C. 145. Speaking after 
the manner of our time, they were a High-Church 
party — great sticklers for forms and special observ- 
ances, who looked particularly to keeping the outside 
of the cup and platter clean. Above all others they 
were denounced by the meek and lowly Jesus, as, we 
fear, many deserve to be who have come after them. 

The destruction of the temple, according to the re- 
cord (Matt, xxiv), is foretold by Jesus, and his disciples 
inquired of him the time it would happen, and also 



Instruction^ Direction^ and Admonition. 345 

of the signs that should be given of his second coming. 
In connection with the admonition contained in this 
chapter, let us see how well some other portions will 
bear critical examination. Before it takes place — that 
is, the destruction of the temple at Jerusalem, and the 
sacking of the city, which happened about A.D. 70, 
some thirty -five years after the crucifixion — the writer 
represents Jesus as saying: 

Matthew xxiv : 

14. "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be 
preached in all the world for a witness unto all na- 
tions; and then shall the end come." 

What end was this ? Surely not the end of the 
world, for that exists yet; though it is plain enough 
that the more enthusiastic and zealous of Jesus' fol- 
lowers anticipated wonderful changes, not only in 
spiritual but in temporal matters, involving the end 
of old religious rites and dogmas, and the setting up 
of the Messianic kingdom. In the year A.D. YO the 
Christian gospel was not preached in all the world, 
nor is it now in half the world. That part of the pre- 
diction has not been fulfilled, nor has the event hap- 
pened which is stuted in verse 27: 

27. " For as the lightning cometh out of the east, 
and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the com- 
ing of the Son of man be. 

28. " For wheresoever the c^rc^se is, there will 
the eagles be gathered together. 



346 Christianity. 

29. *' Immediately after the tribulation of those 
days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall 
not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, 

*and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: 

30. " And then shall appear the sign of the Son 
of man in heaven : and then shall all the tribes of the 
earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man com- 
ing in the clouds of heaven with povs^er and great 
glory. 

31. "And he shall send his angels with a great 
sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together 
his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven 
to the other." 

Can any one say that the /^bove prediction has been 
verified ? 

34. " Yerily I say unto you, This generfvtion shnll 
not pass till all these things be fulfilled. 

35. " Heaven and ^earth shall pass away, but my 
words shall not pass away. 

36. " But of that day and hour knoweth no man, 
no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. 

37. "But as the days of Noe were, so shall also 
the coming of the Son of man be. 

38. " For as in the days that were before the flood 
they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving 
in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the 
ark, 

39. " And knew not until the flood c^^jme, and 



Instruction^ Direction^ and Admonition. 347 

took them all away ; so shall also the coining of the 
Son of man be." 

Nor is this true about Noe, or Noah, who preached 
about the flood one hundred and twenty years before 
it came, and, according to the account, was many years 
in constructing the ark ; so it was a matter of public 
notoriety. Strange that any sane man should interpret 
this xxivtli chapter as referring to the final end of the 
world ! Yet there are those who insist that this is its 
meaning, just as they contend that everything in the 
Bible is the inspired word of God, an infallible record. 
None too much disposition is shown to get at the truth, 
and for that reason, and from relying on the learned 
doctors who would have us think they are infallible 
teachers of an inspired record, many remain in igno- 
rance. Why not adopt our ground, that all men are 
in a measure inspired for themselves ? God is the 
true light, who lighteth every man that cometh into 
the world. We know this, whether we read it in the 
Bible or not. 

Matthew xxv: 

31. "When the Son of man shall come in his 
glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he 
sit upon the throne of his glory : 

32. " And before him shall be gathered all na- 
tions : and he shall separate them one from another, 
as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats." 

Here we have a brief account of what is construed 



348 Christianity. 

by many as a general judgment, but which we are 
told in xxiv, 34, was to take place during the genera- 
tion then on the earth, and during the lifetime of some 
of those who heard the prediction. Yet this, like 
many other portions of Scripture, is by some deprived 
of its true meaning. 

Mark ix: 

1. " And he said unto them, Yerily I say unto 
you, That there be some of them that stand here 
w^hich shall not taste of death till they have seen the 
kingdom of God come with power.'' 

At the time calculated for che verification of this 
prediction Jesus was on the earth, and during that 
generation there was no such coming as this passage 
indicates, and no great events took place except Jesus' 
crucifixion and the destruction of Jerusalem. 

Mark xi: 

12. " And on the morrow, when they were come 
from Bethany, he was hungry; 

13. " And seeing a fig-tree afar off having leaves, 
he came, if haply he might find anything thereon : 
and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves ^ 
for the time of figs was not yet. 

14. "And Jesus answered and said unto it, No 
man eat fruit of thee hereafter forever. And his dis- 
ciples heard it." 

The peculiarity of tliis quotation should be noticed. 
We are at a loss to understand what reason there 



Instruction^ Direction^ and Admonition, 349 

was for cursing the fig-tree, when " the time of figs 
was not yet," and are disposed to doubt its historical 
truth. 

Luke i : 

1. " Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to 
set forth in order a declaration of those things which 
are most surely believed among us, 

2. '^ Even as they delivered them unto us, which 
from the beginning were eye-witnesses, and ministers 
of the word ; 

3. " It seemed good to me also, having had perfect 
understanding of all things from the very first, to 
write unto thee, in order, most excellent Theophilus, 

4. " That thou mightest know the certainty of 
those things wherein thou hast been instructed." 

"We should not fail to notice how Luke begins his 
gospel. He tells us plainly that he was not an eye- 
witness; th^-t what he wrote were simply historical 
sketches, and bits of history gathered from various 
sources which he believed reliable. 

Luke X : 

25. " And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and 
tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to in- 
herit eternal life? 

26. " He said unto him, What is written in the 
law ? how readest thou ? 

27. "And he answering said. Thou sh^lt love the 
Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy 



350 Christianity. 

soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind ; 
and thy neighbor as thyself. 

28. " And ho said unto him. Thou hast answered 
right : this do, and thou shalt live. 

29. ^' But he, willing to justify himself, said unto 
Jesus, And who is my neighbor? 

30. " And Jesus answering said, A certain man 
went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among 
thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded 
him, and departed, leaving him half dead. 

31. ''And by chance there came down a certain 
priest that way : and when he saw him, he passed by 
on the other side. 

32. "And likewise a Levite, when he was at the 
place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the 
other side. 

33. " But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, 
came where he was: and when he saw him, he had 
compassion on him, 

34. '' And went to him, and bound up his wounds, 
pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, 
and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 

35. "And on the morrow when he departed, he 
took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and 
said unto him. Take care of him ; and whatsoever thou 
spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. 

36. " Which now of these three, thinkest thou, 
was neighbor unto him that fell among the thieves ? 



Instruction^ Direction^ and Admonition. 351 

37. '' And he said. He that shewed mercy on 
him. Then said Jesus unto him. Go, and do thou 
likewise." 

Ycry plainly we can see by this that one may live 
near us and yet be anything but a neighbor. When 
w« talk about neighborly acts we mean something 
performed. Godliness is in all things active. Aw^ay, 
then, with all lazy religion ! 

Everywhere in the teaching of Jesus we find the 
same prominent sentiment : that it is not those who 
do well for the sake of a reward that obtain credit, 
but those who do their duty because it is a duty, and 
who consider that in doing well they have only acted 
up to their own innate sense of obligation. In this 
there is a great reward. 

Luke xvi: 

1. "And he said also unto his disciples, There 
was a certain rich man, which had a steward ; and the 
same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods, 

2. " And he called him, and said unto him. How 
is it that I hear this of thee ? give an account of thy 
stewardship ; for thou mayest be no longer steward. 

3. " Then the steward said within himself. What 
shall I do ? for my lord taketh away from me the 
stewardship : I cannot dig ; to beg I am ashamed. 

4. "I am resolved what to do, that, when I am 
put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into 
their houses. 



352 Christianity. 

5. '^ So he called every one of his lord's debtors 
unto him, and said unto the first, How much owest 
thou unto my lord ? 

6. "And he said. An hundred measures of oil. 
And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and sit down 
quickly, and write fifty. 

7. " Then said he to another, And how much 
owest thou ? And he said, An hundred measures of 
wheat. And he said unto him. Take thy bill, and 
write fourscore. 

8. " And the lord commended the unjust steward, 
because he had done wisely : for the children of this 
world are in their generation wiser than the children 
of light. 

9. " And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends 
of the mammon of unrighteousness ; that, when ye 
fail, they may receive you into everlasting habita- 
tions." 

Making friends with the mammon of unrighteous- 
ness in the way spoken of, if it secured favor in this 
world, could not in the next. 

Luke xxi: 

5. " And as some spake of the temple, how it 
was adorned with goodly stones and gifts, he said, 

6. "As for these things which ye behold, the 
days will come, in the which there shall not be left 
one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. 

25. " And there shall be signs in the sun, and in 



Instruction^ Direction^ and Admonition. 353 

the moon, and in the stars ; and upon the earth dis- 
tress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the 
waves roaring ; 

26. "Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for 
looking after those things which are coming on the 
earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken." 

31. " So likewise ye, when ye see these things 
come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God ia 
nigh at hand. 

32. " Verily I say unto you, This generation shall 
not pass away till all be fulfilled. 

33. " Heaven and earth shall pass away : but my 
words shall not pass away." 

From the most reliable accounts of those who have 
examined the walls of the temple at Jerusalem wo 
learn that some portion of the old wall is still re- 
maining, though the destruction was in reality total. 
Whether that destruction was foreknown to Jesus by 
prophetic vision, is a matter which we do not feel 
called upon to settle. We would not deny or support 
the position. The statement is again made here that 
its destruction would take place during that genera- 
tion, which in one or two other places is coupled with 
the end of the world. 

John i : 

1. " In the beginning was the Word, ^nd the 
Word was with God, and the Word was God. 

2. " The same was in the beginning with God. 



354: Christianity. 

3. " All things were made by liim ; and without 
him wag not anything made that was made. 

4. " In him was life ; and the life was the light 
of men. 

5. " And the light shineth in darkness ; and the 
darkness comprehended it not." 

John iii: 

14. " And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the 
wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 

15. " That whosoever believeth in him should not 
perish, but have eternal life." 

They had only to look at Moses' serpent. So, in 
the case of Jesus, we are only required to believe in 
him, not as the Son of God, but as a Messiah. Very 
few there are in the Christian world who do not believe 
in Jesus as a redeemer — a purifier in some sense. 

John vi : 

44. " No man can come to me, except the Father 
which hath sent me draw him : and I will raise him 
up at the last day. 

45. ^'It is written in the prophets, And they shall 
be all taught of God. Every man, therefore, that 
hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh 
unto me. 

46. " Not that any man hath seen the Father, 
save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father. 

47. "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that be- 
lieveth on me hath everlasting life." 



Instruction^ Direction^ and Admonition. 355 

If God does not drf^w us, how can we come ? If 
he does draw us, how can we avoid coming ? 
John xii : 

12. " On the next day much people that were 
come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was 
coming to Jerusalem, 

13. "Took branches of palm trees, and went forth 
to meet him, and cried, Hosanna : Blessed is the King 
of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord. 

14. " And Jesus, when he had found gi young ass, 
Bat thereon ; as it is written, 

15. " Fear not, daughter of Sion : behold, thy 
King cometh, sitting on an ass's colt. 

16. " These things understood not his disciples at 
the first : but when Jesus was glorified, then remem- 
bered they that these things were written of him, and 
that they had done these things unto him." 

Here is another evidence that the Jews, and the 
people generally, expected a king : not the King of 
Heaven, as many now think Jesus was, or the king 
of saints, but a king to rule like David — a temporal 
king to reign over Israel. 

John xiv : 

1. " Let not your heart be troubled : ye believe in 
God, believe also in me. 

2. " In my Father's house are many mansions : 
if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to 
prepare a place for you. 



356 Christianity . 

3. ^'And if I go and prepare a place for you, I 
will come again, and receive you unto myself: that 
where I am, there ye may be also. 

4. " And whither I go ye know, and the way ye 
know. 

5. " Thomas saith unto him. Lord, we know not 
whither thou goest ; and how can we know the way ? 

6. " Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, 
and the life : no man cometh unto the Father, but 
by me. 

7. " If ye had known me, ye should have known 
my Father also : and from henceforth ye know him, 
and have seen him." 

This second coming none of the disciples thought, 
at the time, would be far off. The expectation of 
the followers of Jesus was in a new Jerusalem coming 
down from heaven, and Jesus coming in the clouds of 
heaven, escorted to earth by holy angels. Time has 
rolled on, and still there is no indication of a city 
paved with gold and adorned with pearls. 

John xviii : 

15. " And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so 
did another disciple : that disciple was known unto 
the high priest, and went in with Jesus into the palace 
of the high priest. 

16. " But Peter stood at the door without. Then 
went out that other disciple, which was known unto 



Instruction^ Direction^ and Admonition. 357 

the high priest, and spake unto her that kept the door, 
and brought in Peter. 

17. " Then saith the damsel that kept the door 
unto Peter, Art not thou also one of this man's dis- 
ciples ? He saith, I am not. 

18. '' And the servants and oflficers stood there^ 
who had made a fire of coals ; for it was cold : and 
they warm.ed themselves : and Peter stood with them, 
and warmed himself. 

19. "The high priest then asked Jesus of his 
disciples, and of his doctrine. 

20. ^' Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the 
world : I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the 
temple, whither the Jews always resort ; and in secret 
have I said nothing. 

21. "Why askest tliou me? ask them which heard 
me, what I have said." 

Much is said now about the sin of denying Jesus, 
and justly, as we see by this account. This state- 
ment is confirmed by other writers, who, further, say 
that Peter began to curse and to swear. And yet, 
with all this perfidy, we are told that he holds the 
keys of heaven, and can reject whom he will. If 
this be so, is he not a very undesirable man for 
such a responsible office ? 

It seems, from what he wrote and put on the cross, 
that Pilate had some fear that Jesus would in time 
act as king of the Jews, though the chief priests were 



358 Christianity. 

only willing to allow that Jesus said he was king of 
the Jews : 
John xix : 

19. "And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the 
cross. And the writinsr was, JESUS OF NAZA- 
EETH THE KING OF THE JEWS. 

20. " This title then read many of the Jews : for 
the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the 
city : and it was written in Hebrew, and Greek, and 
Latin. 

21. '' Then said the chief priests of the Jews to 
Pilate, Write not. The King of the Jews ; but that he 
Baid, I am King of the Jews. 

22. " Pilate answered. What I have \^Titten I have 
written." 

The statements of the excited people who visited 
the sepulcher do not agree at all : 
John XX : 

6. " Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and 
went into the sepulcher, and seeth the linen clothes 
lie, 

7. " And the napkin, that was about liis head, not 
lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in 
a place by itself. 

8. " Then went in also that other disciple, which 
came first to the sepulcher, and he saw, and believed. 

9. " For as yet they knew not the scripture, that 
he must rise again from the dead. 



Instruction^ Direction^ and Admonition, 359 

10. ^^Then the disciples went away again unto 
their own home. 

11. "But Mary stood without at the sepulcher, 
weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and 
looked into the sepulcher, 

12. " And seeth two angels in white, sitting, the 
one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the 
body of Jesus had lain. 

13. " And they say unto her. Woman, why weepest 
thou ? She saith unto them. Because they have taken 
away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid 
him. 

14. "And when she had thus said, she turned 
herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not 
that it was Jesus. 

15. "Jesus saith unto her. Woman, why weepest 
thou ? whom seekest thou ? She, supposing him to be 
the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne 
him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I 
will take him away. 

16. " Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned her- 
self, and saith unto him, Rabboni ; which is to say. 
Master. 

17. "Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I 
am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my 
brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, 
and your Father; and to my God, and your God. 

18. "Mary Magdalene came and told the disci- 



360 Christianity, 

pies that she had seen the Lord, and that he had 
spoken these things unto her." 

Some allowance should be made for the lack of 
harmony in this relation, as it was evidently made by 
one who was not an eye-witness. In verse 12 two 
angels are spoken of, both of whom in verse 13 are 
talking to Mary, while in verse 15 there is only one 
angel, or spirit, whom Mary supposed to be the gar- 
dener. We do not see that this story can be of much 
service in proof of a bodily resurrection, or anything 
else in particular. Mary Magdalene reported the oc- 
currences as she understood them in her affrighted 
state. 

John xxi : 

12. " Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And 
none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou ? 
knowing that it was the Lord." 

About this resurrection there is something singular. 
If Jesus was really dead (there are some who think he 
was not), and his disciples saw only what we call a 
ghost, how could he dine with them ? If he was raised 
in material and earthly form and substance, why should 
we say that others have not come out of their graves ? 
Can flesh and blood inhabit heaven ? Now, we con- 
tend that Jesus' death made no atonement for sin, 
and, hence, whether he came to life after being nailed 
to the cross, or not, is, in our opinion, of no importance. 
We have no faith in a vicarious atonement. 



Instruction^ Direction^ and Admonition. 361 

The disciples are still anxious about the restora- 
tion of the kingdom : 
The Acts, i : 

1. " The former treatise have I made, O Theophi- 
lus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, 

2. " Until the day in which he was taken up, after 
that he through the Holy Ghost had given command- 
ments unto the apostles whom he had chosen : 

6. " When they, therefore, were come together, 
they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time 
restore again the kingdom to Israel ? 

7. '' And he said unto them, It is not for you to 
know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath 
put in his own power." 

The Acts, v: 

1. "But a certain man named Ananias, with S^p- 
phira his wife, sold a possession, 

2. " And kept back part of the price, his wife also 
being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid 
it at the apostles' feet. 

3. " But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled 
thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back 
part of the price of the land ?" 

K.% to Ananias, he did not lie any more than Peter 
did ; whether he did or did not drop down dead, is 
not important. To tell the truth squarely and fear- 
lessly, under any circumstances, is always better than 
to seek to evade it. Let all remember this, and act 



362 Christianity, 

accordingly. Peter might have thought how he lied 
a little while before. 
The Acts, vii : 

28. " Wilt thou kill me, as thou diddest the Egyp- 
tian yesterday ? 

29. " Then fled Moses at this saying, and was a 
stranger in the land of Madian, where he begat two 
sons. 

30. " And when forty years were expired, there 
appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sina an 
angel of the Lord in a flame of fire in a bush. 

31. "When Moses saw it, he wondered at the 
sight ; and as he drew near to behold it, the voice of 
the Lord came unto him, 

32. " Saying, I am the God of thy fathers, the 
God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God 
of Jacob. Then Moses trembled, and durst not be- 
hold." 

In the history we have of the Acts there is a con- 
stant lugging in of Old-Testament matters, and a great 
many things are represented as being found there 
which are not in the Bible at all as it now stands. 
In this case (verse 32) we are told about the God oi 
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and the question arises 
in our minds whether he was or was not the Jehovistic 
God. 

The Acts, ix: 

1. " And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and 



Instruction^ Direction^ and Admonition. 363 

slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto 
the high priest, 

2. " And desired of him letters to Damascus to 
the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, 
whether they were men or women, he might bring 
them bound unto Jerusalem. 

3. " And as he journeyed, he came near Damas- 
cus : and suddenly there shined around about him a 
light from heaven: 

4. "Ajid he fell to the earth, and heard a voice 
saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me ? 

5. " And he said, Who art thou. Lord ? And the 
Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest : it is 
hard for thee to kick against the pricks." 

Saul was a brave man, and, while he thought he 
was doing God service in persecuting the Christians, 
was really the most ardent and zealous of any ; he 
was equally zealous in supporting the Christian Church. 

The Acts, xi : 

1. "And the apostles and brethren that were in 
Judea heard that, the Gentiles had also received the 
word of God.'' 

In apostolic times the matter was under constant 
discussion as to the right of Jews and the Gentiles 
to admission into the new fold. A subject so broad, 
that has nothing in it of any particular importance 
in connection with our train of reasoning, will not be 
touched upon. 



364 Christianity. 

The Acts, xiil: 

1. "Now, there were in the church that was at 
Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, 
and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius oi 
Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up 
with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul." 

It appears from chap, xiii there were prophets in 
the first century, chough we have no account of what 
they said. 

We have the following account (chap, xiii) of 
PauFs defense after his arrest. He prefaces his re- 
marks with a summary of Hebrew history, doubtless 
with the twofold purpose of pleasing the Jews and 
keeping in favor with the Christians. None can read 
this account of Paul's defense without being impressed 
by his great tact and shrewdness, as well as by his 
ability : 

16. "Then Paul stood up, and, beckoning with 
his hand, said. Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, 
give audience. 

17. " The God of this people of Israel chose our 
fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as 
strangers in the land of Egypt, and with an high arm 
brought he them out of it. 

18. "And about the time of forty years suffered 
he their manners in the wilderness. 

19. " And when he had destroyed seven nations 



Instruction^ Direction^ and Admo7iition. 365 

in the land of Canaan, he divided their land to them 
bj lot. 

20. " And after that he gave unto them judges 
'about the space of four hundred and fifty years, until 
Samuel the prophet, 

21. " And afterward they desired a king : and 
God gave unto them Saul the son of Cis, a man of 
the tribe of Benjamin, by the space of forty^ years. 

22. " And when he had removed him, he raised 
up unto them David to be their king: to whom also 
he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the 
son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall 
fulfill all my will. 

23. " Of this man's seed hath God according to 
his promise raised unto Israel a Savior, Jesus." 

This is another speech or defense of Paul's, going 
somewhat into particulars of his personal history and 
what is called his conversion: 

The Acts, xxii : 

1. " Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my de- 
fense which I make now unto you. 

2. " (And when tliey heard that he spake in the 
Hebrew tongue to them, they kept the more silence : 
and he saith,) 

3. " I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in 
Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city 
at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the 



366 Christianity. 

perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zeal- 
ous toward God, as je all are this day. 

4. "And I persecuted this way unto the death, 
binding and delivering into prisons both men and 
women. 

5. " As also the high priest doth bear me witness, 
and all the estate of the elders : from whom also I 
received letters unto the brethren, and went to Damas- 
cus, to bring them which were there bound unto Jeru- 
salem, for to be punished. 

6. " And it came to pass, that, as I made my jour- 
ney, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, 
suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round 
about me. 

7. "And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice 
saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me ? 

8. "And I, answered. Who art thou, Lord? And 
he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou 
persecutest. 

9. " And they that were with me saw indeed the 
light, and were afraid ; but they heard not the voice 
of him that spake to me." 

The Acts, xxiii: 

1. " And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, 
said. Men and brethren, I have lived in all good con- 
science before God until this day.'' 

6. "But when Paul perceived that the one part 
were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out 



Instruction^ Direction^ and Admonition. 367 

in the council, Men and brethren, I am fi Pharisee, 
the son of a Pharisee: of the hope and resurrection 
of the dead I am called in question. 

7. '* And when he had so said, there arose a dissen- 
sion between the Pharisees and the Sadducees: and 
the multitude was divided. 

8. " For the Sadducees say that there is no resur- 
rection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees 
confess both." 

Komans viii : 

12. " Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to 
the flesh, to live after the flesh. 

13. " For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die : 
but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of 
the body, ye shall live. 

14. ^' For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, 
they are the sons of God. 

15. " For ye have not received the spirit of bond- 
age again to fear ; but ye have received the Spirit of 
adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 

16. *^The Spirit itself beareth witness with our 
spirit, that we are the children of God: 

17. "And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, 
and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer 
with him, that we may be also glorified together. 

18. " For I reckon that the sufierings of this pres- 
ent time are not worthy to be compared wdth the glory 
which shall be revealed in us. 



368 Christianity. 

19. 'Tor the earnest expectation of the creature 
waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. 

20. " For the creature was made subject to vanity, 
not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected 
the same in hope, 

21. "Because the creature itself also shall be de- 
livered from the bondage of corruption into the glo- 
rious liberty of the children of God." 

Much encouragement may be derived from this 
portion of Paul's Epistle to the Romans. How im- 
portant that we should seek to be led by the spirit 
of God ! for it is certain that just in proportion as we 
do this we become his children. What higher motive 
for action can we have ? How the 21st verse pleads 
for the imperfection of our nature ! All are imper- 
fect, all are of the earth, earthy; but God knows all 
this, and he knows when we strive to do our duty. 

Romans xii : 

1. " I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mer- 
cies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sac- 
rifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reason- 
able service. 

2. " And be not conformed to this world : but be 
ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye 
may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and per- 
fect, will of God. 

3. " For I say, through the grace given unto me, 
to every man that is among you^ not to think of him- 



Instructicn^ Direction^ and Adinonition. 3G9 

self more highly than he ought to think ; but to think 
soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man 
the measure of faith. 

4. " For as we have many members in one body, 
and all members have not the same office : 

5. " So we, being many, are one body in Christ, 
and every one members one of another." 

10. " Be kindly affectioned one to another with 
brotherly love ; in honor preferring one another ; 

11. "Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; 
eerving the Lord; 

12. " Rejoicing in hope ; patient in tribulation ; 
continuing instant in prayer; 

13. " Distributing to the necessity of saints ; given 
to hospitality. 

14. " Bless them which persecute you ; bless, and 
curse not. 

15. '^ Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep 
with them that weep. 

16. " Be of the same mind one toward another. 
Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low 
estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. 

17. "Recompense to no man evil for evil. Pro- 
vide things honest in the sight of all men. 

18. " If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, 
live peaceably with all men. 

19. "Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but 



370 Christianity. 

rather give place unto wrath : for it is written. Ven- 
geance is mine ; I will repay, saith the Lord. 

20. " Therefore, if thine enemj hunger, feed him ; 
if he thirst, give him drink : for in so doing thou shalt 
heap coals of fire on his head. 

21. '^ Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil 
with good." 

What beautiful ideas are contained in this quota- 
tion ! With this instruction alone, well considered, 
all can have a sure guide. The whole is so perfectly- 
good that no attempt ought to be made at discrimina- 
tion. 

I Corinthians : 

This book contains less of deeply-interesting matter 
than some of Paul's other epistles, and hence our no- 
tice of it will be brief. With our views of broad inspi- 
ration, we could not fail to speak of the deep inspira- 
tion of Paul, who was of such a vigorous temperament 
that nothing less powerful than a flash of lightning 
could turn him from his work of persecution ; and that 
is w^hat many think he was struck with at the time 
of his so-called conversion. Be this as it may, the 
work was none other than that of God, who chose 
this means to carry out his purposes, and to raise up 
for the Church one of its greatest advocates and de- 
fenders. And here let us say that Paul was full of 
inspiration. Can any one suppose that he could have 
said and done so much without the spirit and power 



Instruction^ Direction^ and Admonition . 371 

of God to move him ? We should look at the history 
of Paul as a whole, and by so doing cast a veil over 
his faults, foibles, and eccentricities. He calls on the 
people to do their duty and wait for the coming of 
Jesus (x, 7), which he intimated was near at hand, 
and that those he addressed would live to see. This 
idea seems to have been constantly before them, a 
ruhng thought. They did not expect to wait long for 
the promised coming of Jesus. 

Paul has much to say in this epistle concerning 
the matrimonial relation. "We are not told that his 
own marriage was particularly unhappy, and he says 
that in some cases it is better to marry, though, as a 
rule, when a great work is to be performed by a man, 
he ought not to be encumbered with a wife. All that 
Paul says on this subject shows plainly that his mind 
was imbittered, from some cause. When a man ad- 
vanced in life talks as he does about an institution 
ordained of God, and so well calculated, when entered 
into understandingly and properly, to add to the hap- 
piness of both parties, there is some reason for it which 
does not appear on the surface. Jesus was born of a 
woman who was the lawful wife of Joseph. Looking 
back on the great and good men who were born in 
wedlock, we are at a loss to account for Paul's con- 
demnation of marriage. Fornication and licentious- 
ness he is none too severe upon. Widows are allowed 
to marry, provided a proper opportunity offers. 



372 Christianity, 

Circumcision, as a ceremonial, Paul scouts and 
treats as of no importance. It may be unimportant ; 
to say the least, it seems like a foolish performance, 
and was borrowed from some of the earlier nations, 
though the Jews regarded it as a covenant of grace. 
•The reasons for its adoption have been surmised, that 
is all. Idolatry is denounced in unmeasured terms; 
which leads us to conclude that some of the Corinth- 
ians were addicted to it. Idolatry and adultery were 
the great besetting sins of the Hebrew race. All their 
efforts to conquer these tendencies only served to keep 
them in check for a season. 

Great labor was bestowed by Paul on the subject 
of the Resurrection. If he was able to settle the mat- 
ter in his own mind, to his own satisfaction, all who 
read what he says are not so fortunate. There is quite 
a difference between a bodily resurrection and a future 
spiritual life. Going back to a period long before 
Christianity and Hebrew history, we find that faith 
in a future life was entertained, to some extent. Not 
until the crucifixion of Jesus, or, really, until some 
time after, was the idea entertained that our bodies 
of earthy matter, of flesh and blood, could be admit- 
ted to the presence of God and glorified spirits. Chris- 
tians who are so anxious to believe all that is believ- 
able can, with an ej^e of faith, see Jesus as he appeared 
on earth, sitting at the right hand of the Eternal 
Jehovah. Jesus' death and restoration to life again 



Instruction^ Direction^ and Admonition, 373 

are called the first fruits of this bodily resurrection — 
a doctrine entirely at variance with sound sense and 
true logic. 

I Corinthians, xiii : 

Among all the good things in that good book the 
Bible, what is contained in this quotation is the most 
comprehensive and beautiful : 

1. '^ Though I speak with the tongues of men and 
of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sound- 
ing brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 

2. " And though I have the gift of prophecy, and 
understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and 
though I have all faith, so that I could remove mount- 
ains, and have not charity, I am nothing. 

3. " And though I bestow all my goods to feed 
the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, 
and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. 

4. ^^ Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity 
envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed 
up, 

5. '^ Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not 
her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil ; 

6. '^Eejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the 
truth ; 

7- " Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth 
all things, endureth all things. 

8. '' Charity never faileth: but w^hether there be 
prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, 



374 Christianity. 

tliey shall cease ; whether there be knowledge, it shall 
vanish away.'^ 

13. " And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these 
three ; but the greatest of these is charity." 

I Corinthians, xv : 

14. " And if Christ be not risen, then is our 
preaching vain, and your faith is also vain." 

Before the crucifixion of Jesus and his restoration 
to life again, what was the fate of the devout Hebrews? 
If the doctrine of the resurrection of the material body 
had its beginning with Jesus, we have no information 
to that effect till some time after that notable event. 
"What was not found in the true account of things in 
relation to Jesus' death was, we are inclined to think, 
supplied, to make the story sufficiently wonderful. 
Man was made to be, or not to be, immortal before 
the death of Jesus or his so-called resurrection from 
the dead. The change that took place was moral, 
not physical. No law of our nature suffered a change, 
nor did any moral law undergo a modification. Eight 
.was right; and wrong, wrong. Sin was the same in 
its effects : it brought a guilty stain, and merited a 
just punishment. God will in nowise clear the guilty. 
They must suffer here, if not hereafter. The death 
of Jesus could not take away the effect of sin. That 
follows naturally and surely. May God speed the 
time when all will see that every man must bear his 
own sin, and not depend upon another to do it for 



Instruction^ Direction^ and Admonition. 375 

him. We cannot sin by proxy, neither can we obtain 
forgiveness by proxy. 

35. "But some man will say. How are the dead 
raised up ? and with what body do they come ? 

36. '' Thou fooL that which thou sowest is not 
quickened, except it die: 

37. "And that which thou sowest, thou sowest 
not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may 
chance of wheat, or of some other grain : 

38. " But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased 
him, and to every seed his own body." 

After calling his supposed questioner a fool, which 
is a term forbidden in the Bible, Paul gives us to 
understand that if bodies are buried there mav come 
up an entirely difierent thing, or " another kind of 
grain " than that which had been planted. Paul was 
not a fool, but he talked in a very strange way, some- 
times. This subject of corporeal resurrection will be 
dropped ; for it is one that we do not understand, and 
we very much doubt if any human being does or ever 
will understand it. We are strongly established in the 
faith of a future life, and that in a future state God 
will give us such a body as he pleases. About this 
resurrection and future state there is a wide difference 
of opinion among those of equal talent and research. 
They cannot be right on both sides of the question, as 
to whether our new bodies will be in fact the old ones, 
though nominally new, or whether they will be spirit- 



376 Christianity. 

ual bodies clothed with a consciousness of the old life 
and all its recollections. 
II Corinthians, v : * 

1. " For we know that if our earthly house of this 
tabernacle w^ere dissolved, we have a building of God, 
an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 

2. " For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be 
clothed upon with our house which is from heaven : 

3. "' If so be that being clothed we shall not be 
found naked. 

4. " For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, 
being burdened : not for that we would be unclothed, 
but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed 
up of life.'' 

18. " And all things are of God, who hath recon- 
ciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given 
to us the ministry of reconciliation : 

19. " To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling 
the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses 
unto them ; and hath committed unto us the word of 
reconciliation." 

In chap, xii Paul speaks somewhat of himself, and 
also says that he knew a man, fourteen years before 
the time he was writing — whether he was in the body 
or not he could not tell — who was caught up into 
Paradise and heard things he could not utter. He 
does not say who it was, whether himself or some one 
else. The relation sounds odd enough. 



Instruction^ Direction^ and Admonition, 377 

Hebrews xi: 

In this chapter we have a long list of things that 
were done by faith: by faith the worlds were made; 
Abel's oflfering was accepted ; Enoch was translated ; 
Koah built the- ark ; Abraham was about to offer up 
Isaac ; and by faith Sarah herself conceived. 

The Revelation : ^ '^ 

Of this book we will not undertake to speak. There 
are so many who doubt its authenticity, ^.nd, among 
the great mass of intelligent people, so few who under- 
stand it, that we will attempt no explanation. Accord- 
ing to chap, i, 3, it seems the expectation was that all 
things spoken of were shortly to take place. 



PART III. 

RELIGIONS SINCE CHRISTIANITY, 

CHAPTER L 
mohajVimedanism, or islam. 

Mohammed, tKe founder of Islamism, was born in 
Arabia about the end of the sixth century of our era. 
His father died young, leaving his widow and infant 
son in destitute circumstances. Five camels and an 
Ethiopian slave constituted their entire property. The 
infant Mohammed was cared for by his uncle, who 
early trained him to the life of a merchant. He visited 
Syria when he was thirieen. In time he became the 
factor of a rich widow of noble birth, who took him 
for her husband, and placed him on an equality with 
the richest in Mecca. Being now freed from the ne- 
cessity of personal exertion, he formed the scheme of 
establishing a new religion, or, to use his own expres- 
sion, of replanting the only true and ancient one — that 



380 Religions Since Christianity. 

professed by Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, 
and all the prophets — by destroying the idolatry into 
which his countrymen had generally fallen, and weed- 
ing out the corruptions and superstitions which he 
thought the Jews and Christians had introduced into 
their religion. His aim was to elevate it to its orig- 
inal purity, which consisted chiefly in the worship of 
one God. 

He retired to a cave in Mount Hira, where he 
unfolded the secret of his mission to his wife, Khadi- 
jah, and told her that the angel Gabriel had appeared 
to him with the information that he w^as appointed to 
be the Apostle of God. Khadijah received the decla- 
ration with great joy, swearing by him in whose hands 
she w^as that Mohammed would be the prophet of his 
nation. At her instance, Warakah Ebu Kewfal, a 
Christian and cousin, who could write Hebrew and 
was tolerably versed in the Scriptures, adopted her 
opinion, and said the angel who had appeared to Moses 
was the same one that had appeared to Mohammed. 
The first overture the prophet made was in the month 
of Ramadan, in the fortieth year of his age, usually 
called the year of his mission. He began cautiously, 
and his advance was slow. His first proselytes were 
those under his ow^n roof. He secured the co-operation 
of Abdallah, surnamed Abu -Beer, a man of great 
authority among the Koreish, and one whose interest 



Mohavnraedanism^ or Islam. 381 

he knew would be of great service to him. This was 
followed by the addition of several others of high 
repute in Mecca. Of these, six were his chief com- 
panions; to which thi'ee more were added in the space 
of three years. 

Mohammed, believing that he had support to war- 
rant an open promulgation of his views, gave out that 
God had commanded him to admonish his near rela- 
tions ; and in furtherance of this design he directed 
that an entertainment be prepared, where he intended 
to open his mind to them. To this invitation about 
forty responded ; but Abu Laheb, one of his uncles, 
caused the company to break up before Mohammed 
had an opportunity to speak. A second invitation was 
given for the next day, when he made them a speech 
by saying : '' I know no man in all Arabia who can 
offer his kindred a more excellent thing than I now 
do to you. I offer you happiness both in this life and 
in that which is to come. God Almighty has com- 
manded me to call you unto him. Who, therefore, 
among you will be assistant to me herein, and become 
my brother and my vicegerent?" 

His followers at the present time are estimated at 
one hundred and fifty to two hundred millions ; and, 
like Christianity, Mohammedanism has missionaries 
scattered over a great portion of the globe, and for 
hundreds of years has maintained its supremacy over 



382 Religions Since Christianity. 

the sacred places in Palestine, so dear both to Jew 
and to Christian. 

Mr. Clodd says that the term Islam comes from a 
word meaning, in the first instance, "to be at rest, 
to have done one's duty, to be at perfect peace," and 
is commonly held to mean subjnission to the will and 
commandments of God. Muslim, or Moslem, comes 
from Islam, and signifies " a righteous man." "What 
we know about some of the earlier religions is so 
mixed with fable and legend that it is difficult to 
separate the false from the true; but nearly all the 
incidents of Mohammed's life are too well authenti- 
cated to leave much room for doubt, their truthfulness 
being supported by thousands who knew him for many 
years. It is also because it is the youngest of the 
great religions of the world that we are able to know 
60 fully about Mohammedanism, and to see how its 
first simple form became overlaid with legend and 
foolish superstition ; and it enables us to learn how, 
in like manner, myth and fable crept into more ancient 
religions. 

Altliough Christians can see very plainly that all 
the miracles about Jesus' birth were beyond a doubt 
really such, they cannot believe there was anything 
wonderful connected with the birth of Mohammed — 
one legend about whom is that angels took him from 
the arms of his nurse, drew his heart from his bosom, 
and then squeezed from it the black drop of sin which 



Mohamviedanisin^ or Islam. 383 

is in every child of Adam. Mohammed never claimed 
to be a perfect man ; he did not undertake to foretell 
future events or to work miracles. He said his mira- 
cle was the Koran, which should remain forever. He 
spoke of the sun, the moon and stars, the day and the 
night, and various other of God's works, as constant 
miracles before our eyes. Though he made no such 
pretense himself, his followers claimed for him the 
greatest • of all impossible wonder-workings : how he 
rode, by night, upon the lightning to Jerusalem, and 
then, ascending to heaven, passed through the dwell- 
ings of the prophets into the presence of the Unseen. 
This he himself said was only a dream. When he 
died, the people would not believe it. Thus it has 
been with others w^ho were esteemed prophets of the 
Most High. 

Mr. Clodd says Mohammed has suffered much from 
friends as well as from foes. When the former asked 
him for a sign, as the Jews asked Jesus, they readily 
believed all that was told of him ; the latter thought 
nothing too vile or too bad could be said of him. Mar- 
tin Luther, among others by whom Mohammed was 
disliked, called him a horrid devil, and to this day 
most Christians believe him one of the worst of im- 
postors. Few, if any, unprejudiced religious students 
would say he was free from sin ; but he was no cheat 
who tried to cover it up. His strong belief in one 
God has never been questioned, nor has he ever been 



38i Religions Since Christianity. 

accused of polytheism. Though poor, he was of noble 
birth. 

In his boyhood Mohammed was sickly, and subject 
to fits, with which he was troubled in after years. He 
sought lonely places for meditation, caring little for 
company. He could neither read nor write, having 
no way to gather knowledge but by his eye and ear. 
Although sweet-natured and truthful, he was, perhaps 
owing to the bad state of his health, oftentimes cast 
down and gloomy ; but in his bright moments lie was 
gleeful and happy, playing with children and telling 
them extravagant tales. All his habits of living and 
dress were simple in the extreme. As age advanced, 
his gloomy turns became more frequent and severe. 
Strange revelations came to him, and he thought he 
heard the voice of the angel Gabriel : who of us can 
say he did not hear a voice not human ? 

That Mohammed benefited the Arabs in many ways 
is very certain : he gave them a better religion than 
they had before, gave them more correct ideas of God, 
and elevated their thoughts. The Jews settled among 
the Arabs at an early day, and hence their religion 
prevailed to some extent. 

Mr. Clodd says the Arabs are to-day what they 
were hundreds of years ago: lovers of freedom, tem- 
perate, good-hearted; but withal crafty, revengeful, 
dishonest. They are very fond of music and poetry. 
Not much is known about their religion before Islam, 



MohaminedaiiisTn^ or Islam. 385 

for until the advent of Mohammed their history is 
ahnost a blank ; though they had in their early exist- 
ence many gods, and worshiped the sun and moon, 
trees, stones, and numerous other things, especially 
the " black " stone of the Kaaba, around which were 
placed three hundred and sixty-five idols. Travelers 
tell us this stone is an aerolite (or "air-stone," as the 
word means, which has fallen from space to the earth), 
Baid to have been one of the precious stones of Para- 
dise, and to have dropped to the earth with Adam; 
once white, it has become black from the kisses of 
sinful men, or through the silent tears whicli it has 
shed for their sins. The tradition also is that the 
building which incloses it was erected by Abraham 
and Ishmael. To the place where it stands the Mos- 
lems all over the world turn five times every day in 
prayer to God. 

At the time when Mohammed appeared there were 
societies of Jews and Christian sects in Arabia which 
had sought refuge in the desert lands from the cruel 
power of Home. The Christians wasted their strength 
in foolish wrangling. The pure, sweet spirit of Chris- 
tianity which they ought to have kept fled from them. 
Still earlier than these came the sun-worshipers from 
Chaldea and the Zoroastrians from Persia. These 
and other varied beliefs found a home in Arabia, so 
that many Christian and Jewish ideas became mingled 
with Islam. Men before Mohammed preached against 



386 Religions Since Christianity, 

pagan creeds, but they were only forerunners of the 
mightier prophet. 

Mohammed did not claim to have a new reli2:ion 
or a new faith, but the religion of Abraham, who, he 
said, was neither a Jew nor a Christian, but pious and 
righteous, and not an idolator, and whom he places 
among tlie six chief prophets chosen by God to make 
known his truth. Mohammed said that these were 
Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and himself. 
Though Mohammed had but little knowledge of Jesus 
— and this obtained from hearsay and the Apocryphal 
books, w^hich had been discarded by the Christians — 
he never uttered auMit a<i:ainst him or those who 
claimed to be his followers. Moslems have not treated 
Christ and his followers as we have treated them and 
their leader. In the mosque at Medina a grave is 
kept open, beside that of the Prophet, for the burial 
of Jesus, who, they believe, will one day return to 
earth to establish everywhere the religion of Moham- 
med. 

Much was borrowed from the Jews by Islam : 
the belief in good and bad angels, the ordinances 
relating to marriage, fasting, etc., etc. So far as the 
pagan customs could be improved, they were, and in 
many of them the worst forms were entirely abolished. 
The frightful practice of killing female children ceased 
with tlie establishment of Islam. There is, to this 
day, however, a great lack in the respect paid to the 



Mohammedanism^ or Islam. 387 

family tie. Mohammed permitted the worship of the 
Kaaba stone to be continued. In like manner, the 
Roman Catholic missionaries, when they emigrated to 
Northern Europe, made use of the old Teutonic re- 
ligion, and worked parts of it into their own, intend- 
ing to reject the bad and use the good features. In 
this way the development and growth of all religions 
may be traced — new stock being grafted into the old 
tree. The great religions of the world have each 
their good and poor points. None of them can long 
be kept perfectly pure, as systems, even though they 
may have been so at first. Where the sacred trees of 
the Teutons had stood, the Catholics raised crosses ; 
where holy wells had been dug, they built churches 
and abbeys; where love and piety had named flower 
and insect after the Lady Freyja (goddess of plenty), 
they put the Yirgin Mary in her stead. 

We may say liere that the Arabs have a tradition 
that Mecca was a place of great note long before the 
time of Mohammed, and that it was the birthplace of 
their tribes. 

The Mohammedan faith was not destitute of good 
points and ennobling ideas. It counseled men to live 
a good life, and to strive after the mercy of God by 
fasting, charity, and prayer, which its founder called 
" the Key of Paradise." One of the many passages 
ia the Koran calling to prayer is as follows: "Ob- 
serve prayer at sunset, till the first darkening of the 



388 Religions Since Christianity. 

night, and the daybreak reading— ^for the daybreak 
reading hath its witnesses. .. .And watch unto it in 
the night. ...and say, 'O my Lord, cause me to 
enter [Mecca] with a perfect entry, and to come forth 
with a perfect forthcoming, and give me from thy 
presence a helping power." 

There is (says Mr. Clodd) preserved a .sermon on 
Charity, said to have been preached by Mohammed, 
which is so beautiful that it deserves a place beside 
the apostle Paul's sweet w^ords in I Cor. xiii, while 
in reading it we think of that touching saying by Jesus 
as to the Eye that sees with approval a gift to the 
thirsty, although that gift be but a cup of cold water: 

"When God made the eartli, it shook to and fro 
till he put mountains on it to keep it firm. Then 
the angels asked, ' O God, is there anything in thy 
creation stronger than these mountains V And God 
replied, ' Iron is stronger than the mountains, for it 
breaks them.' ' And is there anything in thy creation 
stronger than iron V ' Yes, fire is stronger than iron, 
for it melts it.' ' Is there anything stronger than fire V 
^ Yes, water, for it quenches fire.' ^Is there anything 
stronger than water V ' Yes, wind, for it puts water 
in motion.' ' O, our Sustainer, is there anything in 
thy creation stronger than wind V ' Yes, a good man 
giving alms : if he give it with his right hand and 
conceal it from his left, he overcomes all things. 
Every good act is charity ; exhortation to another to 



Mohammedanism^ or Idum, 389 

do right is charity ; your smiling on your brother's 
face, your putting a wanderer on the right road, your 
giving water to the thirsty, is charity. A man's true 
wealth hereafter is the good he has done in this world 
to his fellow-men. When he dies, people will ask, 
What property has he left behind him ? But the 
angels will ask, What good deeds has he sent be- 
fore him ? 

This is very good for a Mohammedan ; and, after a 
careful and candid examination of the Koran and all 
it contains, of the life of Mohammed and his teach- 
ing, though the whole is far inferior to the New Test- 
ament and the teaching of Jesus, we can but own that 
there is some good in the former as well as in the 
latter ; that Mohammed did a vast deal for his country 
and nation — for all who embraced his faith and lived 
up to his requirements. At his death he left many 
millions of people far in advance of Vv^hat he found 
them, in all that constitutes greatness, in all that com- 
prises goodness and nobleness. Their ideas of God, 
we may remark, were quite as well developed as could 
have been expected, considering the point from which 
they started. By this method of reasoning we should 
examine all the great religions, and not condemn them 
in such unmeasured terms, in all respects, as many 
have done. Thus shall we find that the great leader 
of this faith and his followers were honest, that they 
acted up to the full measure of light that was given, 



390 Religions Since Christianity. 

and are to be judged accordingly. The great truth 
they strove to realize was, that God is one; they con- 
sidered it infidelity to believe in three Gods, or to 
think that the God they believed in was only a third 
of a God. Some may laugh at the crudeness of the 
notions they entertained about a trinity, but it is not 
to be denied that they were sincere. If Trinitarians 
were called upon to explain the strange doctrine to 
which they pretend to adhere, more difficulties than 
they imagine would surround them. 

When Mohammed began to teach in Mecca, as 
well as in other places, attacks on him were so bitter 
that he was obliged to leave the city. On his return 
his w^fe died ; he also suffered the loss of his property ; 
and in the midst of his affliction a conspiracy w^as 
formed to take his life, and he was obliged to leave 
Mecca again, and started for Medina. Tlie Moslems 
date their years from the prophet's flight to Medina, 
just as we date history from the birth of Jesus. On 
Mohammed's arrival at Medina a glad welcome greeted 
him, and he at once became ruler and lawgiver. Soon, 
however, he ceased to be a preacher, and became a 
warrior. Having draw^n the sword, he offered idol- 
ators and Jews either death or conversion to Islam. 
His followers were urged to fight bravely, and in case 
of death he promised their immediate entrance into 
Paradise. So they rushed to the combat without fear, 
for it was God's battle against the wdcked. The ven- 



Mohammedanism^ or Islam.. 391 

geance of Mohammed was particularly furious against 
the Jews, whom he had tried hard to w^in over to his 
side. He admitted their religion to be divine, and 
adopted many of their rites and doctrines, making 
Jerusalem the Kiblah, or place toward w^hich men 
were to turn in daily prayer. For all this, strange 
to say, the Jews ridiculed him, so that to the day of 
his death he was their bitter foe. His victorious 
armies overran the whole of Arabia and other por- 
tions of country, conquering kings and princes, and 
demanding that they submit to Islam. 

Toward the tenth year after his flight Mohammed 
went on his last pilgrimage to Mecca, at the head of 
forty thousand Moslems. On his return to Medina, 
feeling that death was near, he took up his residence 
near the mosque, that he might be in attendance as 
much as possible at the public prayers. After calling 
the people together, he asked them, as did Samuel, 
if he had wronged any one, or if he owed any one, 
and then, after reading some verses from the Koran, 
went home to die. His death happened in the sixty- 
second year of his age. Mr. Clodd justly says he was 
a great and good man, and the religion which he set 
forth met the needs of men in the East as no other 
religion ever did, and it is not likely to cease its hold 
upon men, or give place to any other, for a long time 
to come, if ever. Nearly two hundred millions of 
people who have the strongest possible belief in God, 



392 Religions Since Christianity. 

admitting that they have wild and extravagant notions, 
are not blotted out in a long course of years. We 
ought not to blame Mohammed for many of the sad 
errors and vices mixed up with Islam, any more than 
we should blame Jesus for the evils which have crept 
into Christianity. He waged wars, and so did the 
Jewish leaders; the latter's wars, too, were the most 
cruel and relentless. The earth was crimsoned with 
the blood they shed. And we all know that the most 
awful and distressing wars have been carried on by 
the Christians. 

Hopes are entertained that brighter days are now 
dawning upon us, and that religious wars may soon 
cease, so that neither Christian, Mohammedan nor 
any other religious people will again endeavor to spread 
their faith by the use of the sword. True religion 
never leads men to fight, except in self-defense. It is 
the lack of it which incites to war. Human progress 
has been too rapid, human intellect has become too 
much expanded, for one portion of mankind to say to 
another portion. If you will not adopt our religion we 
will kill you. Moslems believe that, in different ages, 
God has made his will known to prophets, through 
scriptures, of which all but four are lost, to wit: 
the Pentateuch, the Psalms, the Gospel, and the 
Koran ; the Koran only being perfect. They also 
believe that many strange events will happen; that 
there will be a resurrection and a final judgment, 



Mohammedanism^ or Islam,. 393 

when the souls of both good and bad will have to 
pass quickly over a bridge laid across hell, which the 
souls of the good will be able to cross, but that the 
wicked will* fall in. 

The success of Islam was astonishing. In one 
hundred years after the death of the Prophet it had 
been embraced by half the then known world, and 
its green flag waved, to a greater or less extent, from 
China to Spain. In many instances Christianity gave 
way before it, and has never regained some of the lost 
ground. Islam is still making advances in Africa and 
elsewhere. Why should it not be so ? We cannot 
say that Islam is idolatry, or that it is not vastly pref- 
erable to it. Mohammedans are not fio-htins; ao-ainst 
Christianity. May we not hope, therefore, that wliat 
they believe is best for them, with the light they 
have, and that they will finally accept the truth ? 

Along the nortliern coasts of Africa and nearly to 
the equator, from Turkey to within the borders of 
China, and among the larger islands of the East, the 
faith of Islam spreads ; like the Christian religion, it 
is divided into sects, numbering in all, as we have 
stated, from one hundred and fifty to two hundred 
millions. From every mosque the blind mueddin^ or 
crier, proclaims at daybreak : " There is no God but 
God, and Mohammed is his prophet. Prayer is better 
than sleep ; come to prayer." Who shall dare to say 
that God does not accept the prayer of the pious Mos- 



394: Religions Since Christianity. 

lem when he falls on his face in the holy city? To 
say that, with all the false notions common to Islam, 
there is nothing good in it, wonld be gross injustice. 

The term Arab has long been used to indicate a 
people debased, quite destitute of the higher qualities. 
This is entirely wrong. The Arabs have done much 
for Europe in the diffusion of learning. When astron- 
omy was neglected in other places, it found a home in 
Arabia^ and the same is true of many other branches 
of learning. Christian Europe and Christian America 
must not assume too much. To say of anything that 
it is as false as the Al-koran, is taken by many Chris- 
tian people, to mean that it is entirely untrue. This 
Mohammedan Bible contains much that has no refer- 
ence to religious precepts. The Moslems tell and 
believe many absurd stories about their Koran, and 
disbelieve much that we Christians tell about our re- 
ligion ; and they as honestly think that our errors are 
numerous as we think that theirs are. 

They believe the Koran to be entirely the inspired 
work of Mohammed. It consists of 114 surahs^ or 
chapters, which were dictated by him to a scribe, and 
the copies thus made were placed in a box, but were 
imperfectly preserved. About a year after Moham- 
med's death such portions as remained were collected 
"from date-leaves, tablets of white stone, bones, parch- 
ment-leaves," and memories of men, and copied, with- 
out order of time or subject. 



Moliammedanisin^ or Islam. 395 

The titles of the chapters, says Mr. Clodd, are 
taken from some chief matter in them, but are gener- 
ally unmeaning. The headings seem odd enough ; as, 
for example, ''The Lion," "Thunder," "The Fig," 
etc. The form of beginning is the same in each chap- 
ter: "In the name of God, the Compassionate, the 
Merciful." The place where the revelation was made 
to Mohammed is also stated. The writing is in the 
purest Arabic. The oneness of God is prominently 
taught in the Koran. There are also many stories, 
legends, laws, and counsels, mixed in with Jewish his- 
tory and lore. Large portions of it seem utterly mean- 
ingless, while other parts are beautiful and impressive 
tributes to God's majesty and purity. The Moslems 
never touch it with unwashed hands, or hold it below 
the girdle about their waist, and they are greatly 
troubled to see it in the hands of an unbeliever. 
The following brief chapter is valued highly: 
" Say there is one God alone, 

God the eternal : 

He begetteth not, and he is not begotten, 

And there is none like unto him." 
The following surah, named " The Folding Up/' 
thus describes the last day : 
"When the sun shall be folded up, 

And when the stars shall fall, 

And when the mountains shall be set in motion, 



396 Heligions Since Christia7iity. 

And when the she-camels with young shall be neg- 
lected. 
And when the wild beasts shall be huddled together. 
And when the seas shall boil, 
And when the souls shall be joined again to their 

bodies, 
And when the leaves of the Book shall be unrolled. 
And when the heavens shall be stripped away like 

a skin. 
And when hell shall be made to blaze, 
And when Paradise shall be brought near, 
Every soul shall know what it has done.'' 
The following is a passage from another surah, 
and one of the latest in point of time : 

" God ! There is no God but He, the Living, the 
Eternal. Slumber doth not overtake Him, neither 
sleep; to Him belongeth all that is in heaven and 
earth. Who is he that can plead with Him but by 
His own permission ? He knoweth that w^hich is past, 
and that which is to come unto them, and they shall 
not comprehend anything of His knowledge but so far 
as He pleaseth. His throne is extended over heaven 
and earth, and the upholding of both is no burden 
unto Him. He is the Lofty and Great." 



CHAPTEK II. 

HEGELIANISM AjSTD OTHER SYSTEMS. 

We quote first from Appleton's Cyclopaedia, as 
follows : " George William Frederic Hegel was born 
at Stuttgardt, 1770, and died at Berlin, in the flush 
of his fame, Nov. 14, 1831. A philosopher whose 
power and renown remind one of traditions concern- 
ing Pythagoras, for he created a school not only num- 
bering in its ranks his most distinguished contempo- 
raries, but exciting a whole people : the influence of 
Hegel diffused itself through the politics and religion, 
as well as through all the speculation, of Germany. 
The principles on which this remarkable thinker con- 
Btructed his system are two-fold : Firsjt;, his discovery, 
or alleged discovery, of a universal law, according to 
which thought unfolds itself — the fundamental and 
sole' law of dialectics. Every thing or notion, says 
Hegel, exists to the mind bec?tuse it has, or seems to 
have, a contradictory; or, in other words, there is 



398 Religions Since Christianity. 

some other thing or notion standing outright against 
it, and by opposition marking it off or defining it. A 
notion and its opposite, oi' contradictory, are two ele- 
ments essential to every act of thinking ; and as soon 
as these are realized a third act or movement super- 
venes, viz. : the effort to reconcile the two contradict- 
ories, to find some thirdc, and, of course, higher, notion 
in which they unite or blend. Three elements, there- 
fore — a notion, its contradictory, and the solution of 
the contradiction ; a thesis, its anti-thesis, and the syn- 
thesis of the two — represent a complete act of logic, 
or one movement of dialectic ; and on the type of this 
movement Hegel undertook to explain the entire 
course of action of thouo-ht in its efforts to compre- 
hend the universe. It were not easy to overestimate 
the surprising skill with w-liich a task so novel and 
arduous has been executed ; in this respect, indeed, 
the ' Encyclopaedia of Philosophical Sciences ' will 
ever be a marvel." 

Prof. Stow^e says : '^ The influence of this philos- 
ophy extends far beyond the circle of its professed 
disciples. It invades Christian, even orthodox, pul- 
pits; does not exist alone as a speculation, but pro- 
ceeds immediately to action." He makes no attack on 
the founder, who, he says, was one of the noblest of 
men, w^ith a fine physical organization, a prodigious 
intellect, and a generous heart, and among the first 
to protest against atheism. What a pity that many 



Hegelianism and Other Systems. 399 

who dote on their orthodox faith did not possess the 
same noble traits ! 

Thought is presented to the astonished reader, 
rising up from its barest expression, through a gigan- 
tic scheme of ascending triplets, until, comprehending 
every possible form of knowledge, it reaches the abso- 
lute and infinite. This absolute he deemed an essence, 
the notion of God. No obscure residuum could re^ 
main. Prof. Stowe says this philosophy of Hegel 
consisted of three shades, or divisions, which he calls 
the religious, the non-religious, and the anti-religious; 
and that Marheinecke was of the first order ; that ho 
was a clear-headed, sound-hearted Christian theologian 
and preacher ; one of the best historians, one of the 
most accurate reasoners, and one of the strongest He- 
gelians. 

Goschel was another ardent Hegelian, and. Prof. 
Stowe asserts, a truly pious man; and he declared 
Hegel, Goethe and Dorner the best of Christians, and 
we cannot think his authority is to be questioned. 

Thus we have the strongest of orthodox evidence 
in favor of free thought, and that the declaration oi 
honest opinion is no sin, nor the least impediment to 
the enjoyment of Christian religion. Of all men, we 
dislike most the narrow-minded bigot who thinks heaven 
will be pretty w^ell filled when he and his friends, with 
all their church and denomination, get there. If any- 
thing is devil-born, such thoughts and ideas are. 



4:00 Religions Since Christianity. 

Religion is the consciousness of the infinite; it is 
and can be nothing but man's own consciousness of 
his inward being. It is a delusion to suppose the 
nature of man is a limited nature. The religious ob- 
ject is within us. God is man's revealed inner nature, 
his pronounced self. Eeligion is the solemn unveiling 
of the concealed treasures of humanity, the disclosure 
of its secret thoughts, the confession of its dearest 
secrets. The Christian religion is the relation of man 
to his own being, as to another being; the dream of 
the human soul. Here, says Prof. Stowe, is the New- 
Testament doctrine of the Logos, the God-man, God- 
revealed, and the Holy Ghost; the inner nature of 
man reacting upon itself; the spiritual influence which 
all good men crave and pray for. 

David Frederic Strauss comes in for severe criti- 
cism at the hands of Prof. Stowe. His labors besian 
to influence the thinking world in 1836, and he, the 
Professor avers, made the most severe attack on the 
credibility of the Gospel liistory, or its divine inspira- 
tion, that had ever been made. This influence is now 
spreading, and his works are read with great avidity. 

Strauss contends that the Jews expected a national 
Messiah, as they thought the Old Testament predicted. 
When Jeschuah (or Jesus) and John began to preach, 
the former conceived the design of the regeneration of 
his countrymen ; and, being influenced by the super- 
natural prejudices of the times, imagined that God 



Ilegelianism and Other Systems, 401 

would help him re-establish the kingdom of David. 
Jeschuah gradually became reconciled to this thought. 
Having no means and no political influence, he saw 
that the priest-party was daily more incensed against 
him. Some passages in the Old Testament, he began 
to think, indicated a suffering and dying Messiah ; 
so he anticipated a violent death, which he finally 
suffered. As to miracle: when the first shock of his 
terrible end was past, this idea of suffering and death 
began to be started ; the Old Testament was again 
ransacked for fresh predictions of a Messiah ; and his 
followers concluded that the Messiah, though departed, 
was not lost, but had gone to glory, had gone into his 
heavenly kingdom, and must naturally love and care 
for all who had known him on earth; and, finally, 
they began to imagine they had seen him after his 
burial, and so declared ; at which all were much ex- 
cited, and also imagined they had seen him on several 
occasions, amid the mountain fog, or in the gray 
twilight. 

In this way the great miracle of the Kesurrection 
was generated, and found foothold in the world, and 
^ became the fruitful parent of other miracles. The 
expectation was for miracles, and if there were none, 
then they had no Messiah. As he had told his disci- 
ples they should be fishers of men, there should be a 
miraculous draught of fishes ; he had said the unfruitful 
tree should be cut down, and so was the fig-tree. Mira- 



402 Religions Since Christianity. 

cles having thus been set to growing, we soon find an 
abundant crop. • 

The Messiah could, of course, heal leprosy as well 
as Moses and Elijah did. Jordan in the Old Testa- 
ment had healing powers, and Siloam in the New ; as 
Elijah struck men with blindness in the Old Testament, 
60 Christ cured blind men in the New; as Jeroboam's 
withered hand was restored in the Old Testament, so 
Christ healed withered hands in the New; as Moses 
divided the Red sea, so Christ stilled the Galilean 
sea; as Mose3 turned water into blood, so Christ turned 
water into wine : and so all the miracles of the Old 
Testament find parallels in the New. 

This was all deemed necessary by the sacred his- 
torian, 'svha endeavored to show that Christ w^as the 
son of God, or he could not have performed such 
miracles. If miracle-working proved Christ a God, 
why not Moses also ? and did it not make gods of 
those who pretended to work wonders, and to possess 
the gift of healing ? This power, though so strongly 
promised, did not amount to much after Christ's death, 
and very soon died out altogether. As with the do- 
ings of Christ, so it is with his sayings : those which 
stand recorded are amplifications from brief hints of 
his remembered apothegms. 

Thus we have tlie material for che Gospel story, 
which, after a while, is worked up by different writers 
into a connected narrative, as we have it in the four 



Hegelianism and Other Systems. 403 

gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. This, 
Prof. Stowe says, is the opinion of Hegel, Strauss, 
and men of that school : all of whom, Mr. Stowe 
affirms, were most exemplary men, with all the good 
qualities that adorn humanity. He also pays a high 
compliment to M. Wiesse, an older man than Strauss, 
a sound philosopher and metaphysician, and the author 
of a work on the idea of God as a system of aesthetics, 
published in 1838. 

3f. Wiesse says there lived in Palestine, during the 
reign of Tiberius, a good man, one Jesus of Nazareth, 
who, among other gifts, possessed the magnetic power 
of healing — in fact, a full-charged galvanic battery, 
ready at any touch to be discharged. He went about 
Galilee preaching and collecting disciples. Applying 
his magnetic power to the healing of diseases and 
quieting demoniacs, he very naturally gained the affec- 
tion of the Galileans ; they recognized him as the 
Messiah, and desired to make him king. Though he 
felt his Messiahship, he had no political ambition, 
seeking rather the moral elevation of the people, and 
to this end uttered many parables. The blessed effects 
of his ministry he represented by the descent of a dove 
from the opening heavens ; the strength of faith, in 
the parable of a Canaanitish woman asking help of a 
Jew; the judgment to come, by the barren fig-tree, 
cursed and withered ; the regeneration of the world, 
by his turning water into wine. He caused great 



404 Religions Since Christianity, 

excitement by awakening a woman who had fallen 
into a swoon, and was supposed to be dead. He vis- 
ited Jerusalem but once, and then at the feast of the 
Passover, when he was apprehended and crucified. 

We have no reason to believe that he prayed aloud 
the night before his apprehension, or that he said when 
they were nailing him to the cross, " Father, forgive 
tliem, for they know not what they do." During his 
crucifixion there was an accidental obscurity of the 
heavens, which occasioned much comment. He was 
buried, and his body remained in the tomb, but his 
nervo-magnetic spirit once appeared to his disciples, 
and then passed up into the clouds. After his death 
his parables were turned into stories, and men thought 
them actual occurrences. These stories were not prop- 
agated by the apostles, but were told by others, who, 
as they found ready believers, kept on telling more 
stories, from every trivial circumstance. Once, after 
Jesus' death, the apostles, being at supper, became 
greatly excited, and hence came the story that Christ 
himself had instituted the Lord's Supper. 

These writers of strange books, as Prof. Stowe 
w^ould have us take them to be, are, he says, all men 
of profound learning, sound in logic, and of most 
exemplary lives 

Aug. Gfroerer was the writer of a Church history 
in 1845, a work of great merit. Like all the others 
Bpoken of in this connection, he was the contemporary 



Hegelianism and Other Systems. 405 

of Strauss. The gospel of John he believes to be 
genuine, but the other three gospels he considers 
spurious and mythical. The books of Mark and Luke, 
he says, owe their origin to the influence of the writ- 
ings of Philo and other Jews. Many ideas are derived 
directly from the Talmud, the fourth book of Esdras, 
the book of Enoch, and other apocryphal writings, 
which he considers older than the Gospels by many 
centuries. The Jews held fire to be a necessary accom- 
paniment of revelation ; hence the tradition that John 
declared that Jesus should baptize w^ith fire. The 
doctrine of the Trinity is of Rabbinic origin. 

Ernest Henan has a high standing as a writer of 
many volumes, most of which can be found on the 
shelves of every well-appointed library, and require no 
comments at our hands. 

David SchenJcel, — Professor Schenkel, a German 
writer who is among the ablest of the present gen- 
eration, also wrote a life of Jesus, or " The Char- 
acter of Jesus Portrayed." He says Christ made but 
one journey to. Jerusalem, which terminated in his 
death. John the Baptist did not recognize Jesus' 
Messiahship, nor testify of him, nor urge any disciple 
to follow him. Jesus could not possibly have said, 
"!Not one jot or tittle of the Old Testament law should 
pass away." He could not have referred to his resur- 
rection before his death, for he was not raised ; and if 
he had been he could not Iiave known it beforehand. 



406 Heligions Since Christianity. 

Of a suffering: Messiah the Old Testament knows 
nothing. He considers Mark the most accurate of all 
the gospel writers, but thinks that many things which 
are not trustworthy have been added to his narrative 
by another hand. The book of Matthew, he says, 
w^as written by a Jewish disciple, and much of it 
should be rejected. Luke must be carefully winnowed. 
He places little reliance on John's gospel, since it 
contradicts the historical order by representing Jesus 
as having a distinct conception of his work from the 
beginning. 

1^, C . Bauer, — This writer says the original Gos- 
pels were WTitten for the express purpose of decep- 
tion, and to sustain the theology of Paul against that 
of Peter, or the theology of Peter against that of 
Paul. Since their first appearance these Gospels have 
been so modified and smoothed over that all traces of 
their controversial character have disappeared. Ac- 
cording to Bauer, the Gospels had their origin in 
church feuds and dissensions, and w^ere wTitten for a 
purpose. This controversy dates from the time of the 
apostles, and lasted until the middle of the second cen- 
tury. It was a contest between those who viewed 
Christianity as Judaism and the Lord as the Messiah, 
and those who viewed Christianity as a new principle, 
by which both Judaism and heathenism were to be 
transformed into a new system. The strife was obsti- 
Bate. The life of Paul was passed in a struggle for 



Hegelianism and Other Systems. 407 

recognition as one of the apostles, for perfect equality 
of Jew and Gentile converts, for emancipation from 
the law. 

The books of the New Testament are partisan 
writings, on one side or the other of these questions, 
or else they are later productions, intended to conceal 
these differences and to unite all Christians upon one 
common ground. Most of the books are of this latter 
class; hence it follows that they are not the genuine 
productions of those whose names they bear. The 
lateness of St. Mark's gospel is inferred from the ab- 
sence of all controversial matters, as well as on other 
accounts. St. Luke's gospel had originally a strong 
Pauline and anti-Jewish tendency, but in the later 
edition this was much modified. St. Matthew's gos- 
pel in its original form was very different from the 
one we now possess — more decidedly Judaic in ten- 
dency ; while the Greek, as we have it, is in general 
character with the other two gospels. 

Prof. Stowe sums up, under the general head of 
" Hegelians," the main points of all the authors referred 
to, by saying that they consist of two parts ; 1. Objec- 
tions to the historical truth of the Gospels derived 
from the narratives themselves ; and, 2. Hypotheses 
to account for the existence and influence of the Gos- 
pels, supposing them to be historically untrue. He 
then goes on to say — what many who think they have 
a large share of Christianity will object to — that the 



408 Religions Since Christianity, 

Gospels are not, and do not profess to be, complete 
histories; tliat they are simply detached memoirs, or 
select anecdotes, intended solely to illustrate the char- 
acter and teachings of Christ ; to show what kind of a 
teacher he was, and to give an idea of the substance 
and manner of his teaching. 

This the writers themselves affirm, in so many 
words. Says John, at the close of his narrative: 
"There are also many other things that Jesus did, 
the which, if tliey should be written every one, I sup- 
pose that even the world itself could not contain the 
books." John must be either grossly misrepresented 
in this matter, or else he was an ignorant enthusiast. 
Christ's ministry was very short — varying in duration, 
according to different writers, from two and a half to 
three j^ears : had he talked all the time, and had all 
his hearers commented upon, elaborated and amplified 
every sentence he uttered, the writing out of the whole, 
even in the clumsy style of that day, would have come 
far short of filling np the world. This ridiculous as- 
sertion illustrates the extravagant style of writing in 
that age. Assuming that all of these biblical writers 
meant to be correct, their great zeal and the fanatical 
tendency of the times in which they lived would be 
sure to lead them to exaggerate the facts that formed 
the basis of what they described. 

The Apocalypse. — Nepos, a pions and learned 
bishop of Arsinoe, in Egypt, about the year A.D. 



IIegelia7iism and Other Systems. 409 

230 published a book in regard to the millennium^ or 
the thousand years of Christ's reign on the earth. 
Dionysius, A.D. 255, wrote a book in which he ex- 
pressed doubts as to the divine authority of the Apoc- 
alypse, stating that many before his time had rejected 
the book, alleging that it was altogether dark, entirely 
without sense or reason, and ascribed it to the heretic 
Cerinthus. He said he could not understand the book, 
that it was written by a m.an named John, but not 
the apostle John; and he did not know what John. 
The ancients were by no means agreed as to the time 
when John saw the Apocalypse, but it is generally 
conceded to have been in the reign of Nero. The 
learned bishop Eusebius says that Dionysius, like other 
pastors of his time, did at first receive the work as 
genuine, but rejected it afterward on the ground that 
it was not written by John at Ephesus. 



CHAPTER III. 

THE BOOK OF NATURE. ' 

Ik a former volume we had something to say about 
that blessed open book in the heavens, and we cannot 
resist the temptation now to make a few extracts from 
one of the ablest scholars and divines of our age. 
Doubtless there are those who will not agree with us 
in all that we call Science, if by any possibility it 
conflicts with the Bible. The Old Testament contains 
things which we consider quite as much out of place 
as what we introduce here, and they are certainly less 
essential to a knowledge of the power of God. When 
we are asked to believe that the contents of a book 
are the sacred, inspired revelation of God, merely be- 
cause a portion of the world calls them so, we natu- 
rally turn to that great book in the heavens, and try 
to read that. Before the invention of printing, which 
dates back only a few hundred years, books in manu- 
script were frequently falsified or interpolated, which 



The Book of Nature. 411 

could not have been the case if the scribes who copied 
them had been inspired. When we come to the print- 
ing of books, this danger exists substantially the same, 
for the translator and the printer are not inspired 
either. 

To say that the Bible was written by God's own 
finger, as some do who claim to be divines, is an asser- 
tion which cannot be proved by the Bible itself, by 
any other book, or in any possible way. 

There are those who honestly think that, if they 
attain to a thorough knowledge of all there is in the 
Old and New Testaments, they know about as much 
as is necessary. What is denominated Science they 
will say may be studied, though it is a matter of small 
account to know whether the sun revolves around the 
earth, or the earth around the sun ; whether the earth 
is flat, like a trencher, or of a globular form ; whether 
our world is the center of created matter, and the sun 
so fixed as to go down under it and pop up every 
twenty-four hours, with a bit of moon and some stars 
set up in the heavens to give a faint light when he is 
out of sight ; or whether the earth and sun, with all 
the other planets of our system, constitute a very small 
part of our astral system, and that entire system only 
a little fraction of the universe, instead of being the 
^ whole or a large part. 

There are quite too many people who never stop 
to think that moral and religious light has been break- 



412 Religions Since Christianity. 

ing forth for many millions of years, and will continue 
to shed new eflfulgence for millions of years to come. 
Not to realize this fact is to loose the foundation for 
the vast thoughts and conceptions by which we are 
distinguished from the lower orders of animal crea- 
tion. Going back to the early, crude notions in re- 
gard to astronomy and geology would appear to some 
ridiculous, but not to all. Those who never heard of 
any theory but the old, worn-out, obsolete theories, 
and were satisfied that they were right, would natu- 
rally desire no better. People of this stamp would 
readily swallow all the fables and legends in the front 
part of the Old Testament as the inspired word of 
God, an infallible record, written by God's own finger 
— or anything else you might ask them to. Many 
people nowadays will tell you that the Jews were in- 
spired for themselves and for all the world beside, 
and that God began at a certain time to pour out this 
inspiration, and when the term was up he ceased. 
They will also tell you that at a certain period after 
the birth of Jesus the age of miracle set in, during 
which time the dead were raised, even after decom- 
position had commenced; that all diseases could be 
cured, mountains taken from their solid beds and cast 
into the sea. In short, anything could be done : seas 
dried up, the furious waves stilled, or, if necessary, 
instead of a whale's swallowing one man, he might 
have taken them down by the dozen. Only let a 



The Booh of Nature. 413 

thing be found in the Bible, and why should not 
credulous people believe it ? If it be not true, why 
did the Lord let it be put in the Bible at all? 

Let us consider a moment, lest some one should 
say that we deny the Bible. There are certain truths 
constantly before our eyes. The most essential moral 
and religious truths may be read everywhere : first, 
and most important, they are printed indelibly on 
every human heart, where they must be read ; they 
are impressed on all we see and feel. Books are well 
enough ; but, above all things, intelligent mortals never 
ought to worship a book, though it may be called 
the word of God. 

W. A. Stearns, President of Amherst College, had 
the independence to come out, in the face of deep- 
rooted prejudice^ in favor of critical investigation, and 
say to the world around him, Let us reason together; 
give up your foolish ideas, and take sound sense and 
correct notions instead. The title of his book is Ecce 
Ccelem. He says : 

" The great book of N^ature is the heavens, which 
it is a joy and an exaltation to peruse : such a natural 
and truthful book — one that is so acceptable to all, 
not a part. Its outspread pages invite study by day 
and by night. It is now an interpreted book. The 
interpretations were hard. Great men, persevering 
men, and many of them, have been engaged in the 
work for long ages. The results are before the world. 



414- Seligions Since Christianity. 

Once men could not see an eclipse or a shooting-star 
without inferring some dire calamity. Now humanity 
does not tremble at the signs of heaven. The progress 
of astronomical science has freed us from our super- 
stitious terrors. We leave such foolish things to cen- 
turies long past and the ignorant heathen. To the 
science of the stars we owe the safety and audacity 
with which unlimited canvas now stretches on the 
widest seas in the darkest nights. Scarcely a branch 
of business or knowledge, however humble or high, 
but is debtor, in one way or another, to astronomical 
investigations. 

" A large and generous culture of the mind is 
indispensable to the achievement of great things, to 
solidity of understanding, elevation of thought, and 
glow of imagination." 

Mr. Stearns goes on to say: 

^^ This science is worth more than all the fictions 
and poems the world has ever seen. The chief theo- 
rems of astronomy are more lofty than Milton or 
Homer. It is a poem as well as a science — the best 
example of polished completeness, and the noblest 
specimen we have of an epic poem. Look at the mighty 
secrets that men have wrested out of that starry page 
above us ! That ancient sentiment should be often 
repeated, ' An undevout astronomer is mad.' None 
can tell us how ancient astronomy is as a science. 
Neither history nor tradition carries us back to its 



The Book of Nature. 415 

beginning. We can learn nothing of its founder or 
founders, their names being lost in the darkness of 
primeval ages. The first clear view of it dates back 
about three thousand years before Christ. Some claim 
Chaldea for its birthplace ; others, Egypt ; and some, 
India — the latter having the most ancient of astronom- 
ical tables. 

"Thales, Pythagoras, Hipparchus and Ptolemy are 
names not soon to be forgotten ; nor the glory of that 
famous Alexandrian school founded three hundred years 
before Christ, which, wdth its library, continued till 
the sack of Alexandria in the seventeenth century. 
That terrible vandalism, that destroyed the wisdom of 
6o many centuries, suppressed astronomical culture for 
nearly a thousand years; and the cast-away science 
found a home among the Arabs at Bagdad, where 
knowledge was gathered from every quarter of the 
world. While in Europe it was midnight darkness, 
light .was poured forth from Arabia. Spreading into 
Spain, it started afresh in Europe in the fore part of 
the sixteenth century. Up to that date the real 
amount of discovery in the heavens by all nations was 
comparatively small. 

" Copernicus, of Prussia, cast away the old theo- 
ries, and soon began his triumphant career. Then 
followed Tycho Brahe, Kepler, Galileo, and Newton, 
who made prodigious strides ; since which there has 
been an incessant and vigorous pressing onward. The 



416 jReligions Since Christianity. 

light has shone from every direction. The French 
have particularly distinguished themselves. Claivant, 
La Grange, La Place and Arago are ampng the most 
conspicuous of French astronomers. Flamstead, Hal- 
ley, Bradley, Mackelyne and the two Herschels adorn 
the English page. For Germany and Russia are the 
great names of Bessel, Argelander, Struve, and Maed- 
ler." 

From A.D. 600 to 1500 no other suggestion than 
the one made by Thales, that the earth goes around 
the sun, and not the sun around the earth, is known 
to have been made. Archimedes tells us that Aris- 
tarchus, about 280 B.C., held to the opinion that the 
earth revolved around the sun. This was not believed 
to be true by Archimedes, and nothing is said of it 
in the only book Aristarchus ever published. Some 
have given Pythagoras credit for teaching, 500 B.C., 
that the earth goes around the sun, but apparently 
without good reason. Be this as it may, the world 
itself did not believe any such thing until the time 
of Copernicus, a priest who was born in 1472, a few 
years before a still more celebrated reformer — Luther. 
For a long time astronomers refused to believe Coper- 
nicus any more than they believed Aristarchus. 



CHAPTER lY. 

PRAYER. 

Much is said, and believed, about prayer, its pro- 
priety and efficacy ; and lest some may think we have 
no faith in such a thing, we would say that, in our 
opinion, prayer is beneficial in many respects; but in 
regard to its influence on the orderings of Providence 
— as to God's doing or not doing according to the 
requests of mortals, and changing his purposes — we 
have no faith ; and we consider that those who enter- 
tain such a belief labor under a great delusion. If, 
during a time of drought in any particular place, all 
the ministers and all the laity should unite in prayer 
for rain, and ask God to send it, for his own sake and 
for that of a sufiering people, does any one suppose it 
would rain one day sooner than it would if no prayer 
had been offered, any more than the course of nature 
would be altered so as to cause a river to run back 
toward its source ? When we come to look thought- 



418 Prayer. 

fully at the probability of prayers being answered in a 
particular sense, our faith must be greatly lessened, if 
not wholly destroyed ; for such a thing would be like 
an ordering of the laws of the universe by mortals, 
which could not fail to result in confusion, instead of 
the beautiful order and harmony which we enjoy. It 
rains now when it will rain, not when man desires 
it to. 

Some prayers may be low-minded and selfish. 
Many want favors for the advancement of worldly 
plans, the accumulation of property, and a thousand 
things which, could they have by asking, would occupy 
a large share of the time of the Being who is supposed 
to be able to grant them. To contemplate a universe 
peopled with beings capable of praying, and all of them 
continually sending up to God each a separate, a par- 
ticular, petition for what he wanted or imagined he 
wanted, might aflbrd to all a joyous satisfaction, but 
no person in his senses can believe that the Lord 
would attend to all their wants, and answer the whole 
fully and satisfactorily. 

When a battle is impending between two armies, 
one side may be more deserving of victory than the 
other; but how far the powers of heaven will inter- 
pose to settle the matter is another thing. The force 
of circumstances, the degree of preparation, strategy, 
and bravery, have much to do with the matter. The 
days of Moses, Aaron, Joshua and Gideon are gone. 



Prayer, 419 

The miracles claimed by them as beiug wrought by 
God in answer to prayer, even if they were then sub- 
stantial realities (which we do not believe), are not 
likely to be repeated. 

True merit and sincere godliness may constitute a 
well-founded claim to the favor of heaven, and yet 
Buch favor may not be given us on that account. The 
good do not always share God's blessing in the high- 
est degree. The practically and vitally good often 
suffer the severest afflictions. Tempests sweep and 
floods overwhelm them. Many go to the ocean's bot- 
tom uttering as sincere a prayer as mortal ever breathed. 
If the prayers of good men would save from drowning, 
shipwrecks would be few. The saint (if there be such 
a thing here) and the sinner share the same fate, so 
far as we can discern. For God to rain on the just 
and not on the unjust is hardly possible. Therefore 
we do not see how God can give especial answers to 
particular prayers, any more than he can or will create 
a series of especial providences for all those w^ho ask 
him. Prayers and expectations of this kind may be 
uttered and calculated upon, if comfort and consolation 
can be gained thereby, but this is all they will amount 
to. And yet prayer is a 'becoming acknowledgment 
of the power and goodness of God, and of our ow^n 
weakness and dependence. To say that God can and 
does bless us without our asking is no argument against 
the performance of duty. 



420 Prayer. 

The shortest and best prayer ever made was that 
offered by the publican, who, feeling so debased that 
he could not even raise his eyes toward the open 
heavens, cried out in agony, ^' God be merciful to nie 
a sinner." Going to his own house, looking into his 
own heart, from whence the prayer came in all sincer- 
ity, not only forgiveness, but justification, came, as a 
matter of course. He made no vain boasting that, in 
the use of some dead form of prayer, or by some meri- 
torious act, he had earned a blessing and merited for- 
giveness. Knowing his need of mercy, he implored 
God to grant it. No roundabout way was taken ; the 
words used were plain and direct. All who ask in 
this spirit, in whatever temple or place they may be on 
the broad earth, whether Christian, Mohammedan, or 
Jewish, will have peace and pardon. Like all religious 
duties, prayer, to be of any avail, should be emphat- 
ically a matter of heart-work. Lip-service will gain 
nothing. •i 

Prayer is alike proper for individuals, families, and 
churches, as well as on occasions of public interest. 
As one person often speaks to the edification of many, 
so one may often enliven the spiritual feelings of a 
large circle. Spiritual emotion may at times be dor- 
mant, only to be awakened by the spiritualizing power 
of some one capable of warming it into life. Lack of 
outward exhibition does not prove that it may not bo 
Btirred up in every heart. Influences are all the time 



Prayer. 421 

at work to develop what may properly be called in- 
spiration — a working of the divine Spirit; the power 
of Omnipotence leading and directing us. Without 
this, who can think and act as they ought ? 

An electric chain, a spiritual connection, extends, 
in a greater or less degree, through creation, binding 
soul to soul, leading matter to embrace matter, closely 
in some cases and almost imperceptibly in others. 
Beginning with God, it must extend through all his 
works. Let it not be said that we are opposed to, or 
think lightly of, prayer, or doubt its efficacy within 
reasonable bounds. 



%- 



THE UNIVERSAL PRAYEK 

Father of all! in every age, 

In every clime, ador'd. 
By saint, by savage, and by sage, 

Jehovah, Jove, or Lord! 

Thou Great First Cause, least understood. 

Who all my sense confin'd 
To know but this, that thou art good, 

And that myself am blind; 

Yet gave me, in this dark estate, 

To see the good from ill; 
And, binding Nature fast in Fate, 

Left free the human will. 

What conscience dictates to be done, 
Or warns me not to do, 



422 Prayer, 

This, teach me more than hell to shun, 
That, more than heaven pursue. 

What blessings thy free bounty gives 

Let me not cast away; 
For God is paid when Man receives, 

T' enjoy is to obey. 

Yet not to Earth^s contracted span 
Thy goodness let me bound, 

Or think thee Lord alone of Man, 
When thousand worlds are round: 

Let not this weak, unknowing hand 
Presume thy bolts to throw, 

And deal damnation round the land 
On each I judge thy foe. 

If I am right, thy grace impart. 
Still in the right to stay; 

If I am wrong, oh, teach my heart 
To find that better way! 

Save me alike from foolish pride. 

Or impious discontent 
At aught thy wisdom has denied. 

Or aught thy goodness lent. 

Teach me to feel another's woe, 

To hide the fault I see; 
That mercy I to others show, 

That mercy show to me. 

Mean though I am, not wholly so. 
Since quicken'd by thy breath; 



Prayer. 423 



Oh, lead me wheresoever I ^o^ 
Through this day's life or death! 

This day, be bread and peace my lot: 

All else beneath the sun 
Thou knowest if best bestowed or not. 

And let thy will be done. 

To thee, whose Temple is all space, 
Whose altar, earth, sea, skies, 

One chorus let all Being raise! 
All Nature's incense rise I 



^ -Pope. 



I 






INDEX. 

A. PAGE 

Abraham; Ms low and Mgh traits of character 178 

** the account of his interview with the Lord prob- 
ably mere legend 178 

** his ideas of theology 177 

** father and leader of the Hebrew race 173 

his crime of fornication, remarks on. 180 

Mohammed's opinion of 386 

Acts, the, i, v, comments on 361 

'' vii,ix, '' '' 362 

'' xi, '* ** 363 

'' " xiii ** ** 364 

*'Aditi," definition of.. 70 

*' Ahura-Mazda," meaning of 100 

^'Air-Stone," tradition of 385 

Alexander, founder of Alexandria, his acts of toleration 121 

Alexandria, the oasis in the moral world 122 

Ammon, king of all the gods, and the especial god of the 

Egyptians 118 

Antoninus, ^Marcus Aurelius, his character 158 

Antioch, its importance, wealth, vices, and disasters 211 

Apollo, oracle of at Delphi, facts concerning ■. . .145 

*' *' *' *' officiating priestess of 145 

Apocalypse, the, oi)inions of various learned men concerning. .408 
" '* the only one of the Kew Testament writings 

which affirms its own inspiration 313 

** ** Martin Luther's ground for rejecting 314 



426 Index, 

PAGE 

Apostles, the, difference of views of on important subjects. .284 
/* ** a great modification in their notions worked 

by the death of Christ 286 

Arabs, the, Mr. Clodd's description of 384 

** '* their history a blank until the advent of Mo- 
hammed .385 

** '' their gods 385 

•Arabia, the homo of astronomical science 415 

Arimanius, god of darkness 98 

*' Aryan," meaning and use of name 21 

Aryan tribes, the, and their descendants 20 

Arj^ana-Yaejo, supposed situation of 101 

Aryans, the, earliest history of 62 

*' *' country peopled by 21 

Asia, Northern, singular change of climate in 101 

Astronomers, conflicting theories of early 416 

Atheism engendered by false notions of God 37 

Atonement, the, origin of 315 

"Augury," derivation and meaning of 155 

Augurs, Roman, business of 155 

"Authorized version" the, of New Testament, value of 241 

Avesta, the, discovered and published by Mons. du Perron.. 98 

" " language of 99 

** " the sacred book of a great Iranic religion 97 

" *' books contained in , 105 

B. 

Babel, tower of, Chaldaean legend concerning 22 

Bacchus, mysteries of 144 

Baldur, the mildest and wisest of the Scandinavian gods. ...167 
Baptism, the form of given by Matthew not authorized by 

Jesus 303 

Bethany, where situated 2C6 

Bethlehem, star of, its appearance ex^Dlained 228 

Bible, the, oldest manuscripts of transcribed at Alexandria. .129 

" " its inspiration considered 217 

" " how it should be read 235 

*' " delusions into which ignorant minds are led by 

its sole study 411 

** " Tischendorfs zeal in collecting manuscripts of. ..244 
*' ** its origin and character, as given by Mr. Clodd. .215 



Index. 427 



PAGE 

Bigotry, God's detestation of 94 

Birmese, the, excellent traits of character of 91 

Blind men, curing of, discrepancy between the accounts of. .298 

**Book of the Dead," Egyptian, recently discovered 120 

Bragi, the Scandinavian god of eloquence and poetry 169 

Brahmanism, character and sacred books of- 41 

** the God of 61 

" a singular combination of self-denial and indul- 
gence 43 

*' and its offshoots, extent of 77 

" and Hinduism, different sects of 58 

"- ' Mr. Clarke's definition of 59 

Brahmans, their tendency to asceticism 72 

Brahma, supreme god, the, different names of 78 

Brahmana, the, extracts from account of Creation in 70 

** Buddha," meaning of 89 

Buddha, birth of 82 

*^ his future greatness revealed in a dream 82 

" his tendency to meditation 83 

*' vicissitudes attending the spread of his doctrine... 83 

fable of 30 

'* death of, in his 85th year 85 

**Buddhas of Confession" 93 

Buddhism, origin and incidents of its inception 84 

*' council held to fix doctrines of 85 

*' what countries embraced by 89 

*' the state religion of India 4th century B.C 89 

** its numerous followers 81 

** fundamental doctrine of 89 

" rationality and humanity a part of its system... 90 

** a zealous, but not an intolerant, religion 91 

** defined by Mr. Clarke as Eastern Protestantism. . 86 

** the god of and prayers to 93 

** truths and defects of 44 

Buddhist and Roman Catholic customs, similarity between.. 86 

morality. Saint Hilaire's description of 92 

architecture, its singularity and beauty 82 

Buildings, sacred, popular ideas regarding 26 

Bundehesch, the, doctrine, promulgation and reliability of.. 110 

" *' its elaborate theories and results Ill 

** ** Windischmann's translation of 110 






423 Indcv. 

C. PAGE 

CiVsiaron, itv^ oxtont, i^plondor, niul iinportnnco 0(>(> 

Onlomiar, invontiou of by tho Kixyptians 1^:J 

'* old and now stylos, facts rolating to *^;U 

Calvary, its oxaot location not positively known OOG 

C\\por!iaum, location of "30*3 

Cataline's conspiracy, romarkablo ilobato concerning 15G 

Ohnrity, Bnddhist and Christian contrasted 94 

a sorniou on, said to have been preached by !Mo- 

hanimod 388 

Cheops, in Eirypt, p^'ramid of 115 

C^hina, its antiquity, area, and population 47 

social and political equality in tS 

** throe national religions of 4i) 

** the state worship of 48 

Chinese, the, early enterprise and skill of 48 

" ** religious sects, relations existing between 49 

** ** recognition of a Supreme Power 48 

" ** institutions and customs, permanence of 47 

** ** sacred books, names and character of 54 

Chorazin, its assumed situation .203 

Christ, the death and ros\irrection of, predictions concern- 
ing obscure and doubt ful o04 

** l\is resurreetion wholly unexpected by his disciples. .oO(> 

Christ^s Cluirch, superstitions in 147 

Christian era, the, in\portant events of tirst century i}^2 

virtues and proverbs, Egyptian origin of 12(5 

Christians, their uncharitable views of other religions o5 

C^hristianity, our knowledge of its early history imperfect. .2f)0 

all good not embraced in, alone 01 

destined to develop into a univoi^sal religion.. 38 

** Church, '' its origin and signitication oOl 

Church, Christian, the, delusion in at the time of the apostles. 281 

Cilicia, situation of 213 

Cinibri, the, remarkable facts relating to 102 

Circumcision, copied by the Hebrews from tht^ Kgvptiaus. . .124 

** >vhy adopted by Abraham ISO 

*' Codex,'' meaning of 0:>7 

Codex Aloxaiidrinus, account of 0;>T 

Vaticanus, interesting facts relating to 237 

Siuaitic, its discovery by Dr. Tischeudorf 239 



ii 
cc 






Index, 429 

PAGE 

Confucius, birth of 49 

number of descendants of 49 

the great influence of his writings and teachings. 50 

his pure morality and lofty aims. 50 

popularity of his doctrine among the masses... 51 

his political and literary labors 51 

Mr. Clodd's characterization of system of 52 

autobiographical sketch of life and principles of . 53 



(( 
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(i 
{( 

" his whole life filled with commendable actions.. . . 54 

** his ideas of heaven and an unknown power 56 

*' testimonials to his memory 54 

Corinth, its wealth, luxury, and licentiousness 211 

I Corinthians, comments on 370 

I " xiii, comments on 373 

I ** XV, comments on 374 

Creation of the world, the, Eddas account of 165 

** the, account of in the Rig-Yeda 66 

" ** order of in the Bundehesch 105 

** ** Mosaic account of possibly copied from the 

Bundehesch 110 

** Creed of Christendom," the, extracts from 206 

Crucifixion of Jesus, disagreement between the evangelists 

as to the time of and circumstances attending 323 

Customs borrowed from the Jews by Islam 383 

'' heathen, adopted in part by Christianity 127 

Cyprus, island of 212 

D. 

Decapolis, the several cities composing 204 

Deluge, the, Chaldsean accounts of 22 

Demoniacs, two, the healing of an exceedingly improbable 

story • 298 

Devil, the, idea of borrowed by Christians from older re- 
ligions 258 

Devotion, an inward work, without regard to external show. . . 76 
Doctrines, four principal, common to Egyptian mythology 

and orthodox Christianity 128 

Dogmas, Hebrew and Christian, promulgated thousands of 

years ago by the Egyptians 130 

Dualism, Zend-Avesta and Kew Testament recognition of.. 44 
Duty, meritorious only when conscientiously performed. . . .351 



430 Index. 

E. PAGE 



<( 



Edda," moaning of 165 

Eddas and Sagas, the, the chief source of our knowledge of 

the Teutonic race 104 

Egj'pt, situation, extent, and importance of 113 

** history of divided into three periods 126 

** monuments in, their magnificence 113 

" funeral ceremonies in 125 

*' an object of interest to the civilized world in all ages. 114 

Egyptian priests, their functions and privileges , 123 

** prophets, a highly honored class 124 

** enterprise and skill, early evidence of 114 

'' Ritual of the Dead 125 

Egyptians, their belief in a future life 118 

'* sacred books of made known by Clemens Alex- 

andrinus 119 

** their religion and mythology 116 

Empedocles declares God to be the Absolute Being 138 

Epictetus, character and noble life of 158 

Epicurus, his peculiar theories . 141 

Epistles, the, authenticity of 225 

F. 

Faith, different varieties of 218 

'* in a spiritual resurrection reascmable; the resurrection 

of the body unreasonable 326 

Famine, the, in Canaan 181 

*' Flamens,'^ the priests of particular Roman deities 155 

Freyja, the most propitious of the Scandinavian goddesses. ..,168 

G. 

Galilee, Sea of, or Tiberias .' 203 

" settlement and inhabitants of 195 

Galileans, why they were disliked by the Jews 195 

Genesis, chapters xi, xii, comments on 175 

** chapter xiii, comments on 177 

XV, '' '' 178 

" xvii, '^ ** 180 

Gennesar, its fertility and beauty 202 

God not a being of wrath and fury 186 

** narrow-minded religionists^ misinterpretation of 36 



Index, 431 

PAGE 

God, mean's first conception of 25 

** Buddhists* notion of an infinite 44 

God's constant care for all his creatures 37 

'* law, books not necessary to a knowledge of 222 

*'• recognition of our efforts to do our duty to the best 

of our ability 368 

Gods, Egyptian, names and explanations of 117 

** Greek, names of derived from Egypt 122 

'* of Greece, the, Homer's description of 135 

** the, Aryan idea of and names for 23 

Gospel, the, dispute among the apostles as to its contemplated 

mission 266 

" *' no reason for assuming that Jesus intended its 

spread outside the Jewish nation 271 

** fourth, the, discourses in not the utterances of Jesus.. .316 
Gospels, original, the, written for the purpose of deception, 

according^ to Bauer 406 

** their correctness, as records of Christ's words, yet to 

be established .313 

Greece, early history of " 132 

** deities and gods of 133 

** its religion unlike all others in the human character 

of its gods 133 

Greek religion, the, curious facts concerning 141 

" philosophy and nominal Christianity contrasted 140 

** sacrifices, character and mode of offering 142 

** priests, oflSces of 143 

** philosophers and scholars prepare the way for the ad- 
vent of Christianity 138 

H. 

** Heathen," ISTew Testament translation of 38 

Heathen, the, Jesus' recognition of 38 

'* *' Paul's charity for 38 

*' Hebrew," derivation and meaning of..... 173 

Hebrew race, idolatry and adultery their great besetting sins. .372 
Hebrews, early, the, their faint conception of a God 174 

** the, God's promise to 176 

Hebrews xi, comments on 377 

Hegel, George William Frederic, his life and principles. . .397 
Hegelianism, remarks of Prof. St owe on 398 



432 Index 

PAGE 

ITocrolians, the, main points of summod up by Prof. Stowo..4(V7 

Iloimdall, wanior of the Scandinavian gods 100 

Hellenic tribes or groups, the 1»>3 

Hermes, description of the sacreii books of 110 

Horn\on, ^Mount, and its surroundings » .ibex's 

Herod, his slaying of the children in Bethlehem a silly story, .2i>5 
*' •' empire divided between his three sons, Archelaus, 

Herod Antipas, and Herod Philip 104 

Hindu race, the, vague ant iquity of i>:i 

code of laws, the 01 

** philosophy, the three great systen\s ol 75 

** nation and religious systems, !Mr. ^Maurice's account of 77 

Hindus, the, devotional feeling of 07 

*' their philosophy mixed with coarse superstitions 00 

" " stn^nge ideas of attaining felicity ,..> 00 

Hinduism, ancient and modern contrasted 75 

History, exaggerated statements in Jewish and other ISS 

.1 ewish, prophetic period in ISO 

Holy Spirit, the, what was it ? "' <'' 

Honest opinion, its declanUion no sin 300 

Hope in a life of future happiness a sutVicient reason for 
leading ivn upright life 223 

I. 

Iconium, where situated -"^'^ 

Iduna, the Scandinavian goddess of youth,. .loO 

Incarnation and ccnealoscv of Jesus, contnidictory uocovnus 

of the 1 ^". "^^ 

India, gods and festivals of "^7 

*' a land of riches, relics, and mysteries 50 

Indra, the supreme god of the Hindus 00 

** hymns to, their resemblance to the PsiUms 00 

Inspiration, all men in a measure inspired for themselves. .tU7 

*' Islam,'' origin and meaning of '^''^'- 

Islam, its astonishing progress ''«^'^ 

** ** division into sects ^»>. 

** how Jewish and Christian ideas became mingled with.^Sol 

** Israelite,'* use of, facts concerning 17^> 

Italy, situation and boundaries of 1^ 

J. 
Jiuius, god, the, origin and characteristics of 150 



H (1 

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Index. 433 

PAGE 

Jesus, liis genealogy, ]VIr. Greg's views 293 

birtli variously stated 227 

mission, pi^pular notions concerning 267 

necessity of associating his name with that of David. . .255 
liis entry into Jerusalem, discrepancy in accounts of. . .207 

** advent, popular theories concerning ,. . . .21)0 

the story of liis being tempted by the devil incredible. .257 
marked discrepancy between IVlatthew and Luke as to 

the original residence of his parents 29(5 

** the new kingdom of JMl 

** few who do not believe in him as a purifier in some 

sense ^'^54 

** the religion of, its inestimable value 1340 

^* M. Wiesse's delineation of liis life and charaeler.. .403 
** Julius Africanus' unsuccessful endeavor to reconcile 

his genealogies as given in Matthew and Luke.. 261 
** the gospel of, sound sense the best guid(» in discrimi- 
nating between the true and the fabulous in... 291 

Jesus' death no atonement for sin 300 

Jews, the, a Semitic race 172 

** '' evidence that they expected a temporal king. .355 

John, his ancestry, life, and character. 263 

** gospel of, pronounced by Origen to be the chi<^f of 

all the gospels 264 

** either grossly misrepresented, or else he was an igno- 
rant enthusiast. 408 

John iii, comments on 354 

" xii, '' ** 354 

*' xiv, ** *' 355 

*' xviii, '' '' 350 

*' xix, XX, '' *' 358 

** xxi, *' ** 860 

Joppa, its ancient importance, and interesting associations. .207 

Judaism, considered as a stepping-stone to Christianity 183 

Judea, the seat of the Jewish religion 196 

** Jupiter,'* derivation and meaning of 151 

K. 

Kaiomarts, Ti)elieved by Persians to have been both man and 

woman, whence came the first human pair 108 

"Karma," meaning of 93 



434 Index, 

PAGE 

Karnak, in Egypt, facts concerning 115 

Khordah-Avesta, the, extracts from ...103 

*' Kings," sacred books of the Chinese 56 

Koran, the, history and character of 394 

** ** erroneous ideas entertained of by Christians. ,394 

** ** Moslems' reverence for 395 

** ** passage from 387 

** ** chapter from... , ....395 

** ** passage from 396 

K'ung-Foo-Tse, the patron saint of China 49 

L. 

Lao-tse, his character and religious views 49 

Legends, Jewish and Persian, strong likeness between 99 

** pointing to a common origin of all nations 29 

Lessing presumes the existence of a number of fragmentary 

narratives of the sayings and actions of Jesus... 808 

Logos, or Word, doctrine of maintained at Alexandria. .. .129 

*' the, New Testament doctrine of defined 400 

Lucretius declares all religion an unmitigated evil 157 

Luke, liis life and writings 262 

not to be implicitly trusted as a historian 274 

chapters i, x, comments on 349 

cliapter xvi, *' ** 351 

"- xxi, ** ** 352 

M. 

Magians, worship of described by Herodotus B.C. 450.... 97 

Magdala, the native place of Mary Trlagdalene 205 

Malchaerus, interesting facts concerning 200 

Man, birthplace and early history of 19 

** the account of his origin in Genesis not reliable. . .187 

Manuscript, Egyptian, the oldest in the world 127 

Manuscripts, ancient, liability to errors in 223 

Mann, subjects treated of in 70 

Mark, gospel of, where written 261 

" *' '* chapter xvi, remarkable circumstance con- 
cerning manuscript of 245 

Matthew, some account of his life before he was called to 

an apostleship 249 

*' gospel of, difficulty in reconciling some portions of ,256 



u 



Index. ' 435 

PAGE 

Matthew, gospel of, different accounts as to when written. . . .251 
** '* ** in its early form intended for the Jewish 

Christians in Palestine 252 

" " '' variations in the supposed original copy. .252 
" u <{ Prof. Stowe's opinion of our present trans- 
lation 253 

" ** '* criticised by many learned men 254 

** '* " chapter ii, comments on 260 

" '' *' " xxiii, " '' 342 

** *' *' '* xxiv, " '' 345 

Matrimony an institution ordained of God 371 

*'Melchizedek,'* King of Salem, signification of 185 

Melcliizedek, our imperfect knowledge of 178 

Messiah, the, Strauss' conception of 401 

Ministry of Jesus, term of 225 

Miracle, the, of Christ's changing water into wine a clumsy 

and manifest invention 317 

** not necessary to prove divine truth 40 

Miracles, origin of 401 

** if the working of proved Christ a God, why not 

Moses, also ? 402 

** ridiculous ideas of religious enthusiasts respecting. .412 

Mohammed, his birth and ancestors 379 

" forms the scheme of establishing a new religion. 379 

" declares that he is appointed to be the apostle of 

God 380 

** the opposition he encountered in establishing his 

religion 390 

** ceased to be a preacher, and became a warrior. . .390 

** his bitterness against the Jews 391 

** the whole of Arabia overrun by his victorious 

armies 391 

" his death 391 

•Mr. Clodd's estimate of 391 

'* did not cla'm to be a perfect man 383 

injustice done him by friends as well as foes 383 

his habits of living and dress 384 

the beneficent effects of his teachings upon his 

country and people 389 

** did not claim to have a new religion, but the 

religion of Abraham 386 






436 



Index. 



PAGE 

Mohammed, his respectful treatment of Christians, and the 

injustice of the latter 386 

*' his followers at the present time 381 

Mohammedanism, the youngest of the great religions of 

the world. 382 

Monotheism the foundation of the Mosaic laws 190 

'* Christian, wherein differing from Jewish and 

Mohammedan 45 

Moses, his silence on the subject of a future life 190 

*' not the originator of all the laws sanctioned by him. . .191 

*' his contradictory peculiarities of character .189 

*^ Muslim," or ** Moslem/* origin and meaning of 382 

Mythology common to all peoples and religions 28 

Myths and folk-lore, subjects treated of in 28 

jsr. 

Nations, origin of 20 

Nature, the great book of, remarks on by W. A. Stearns, 

President of Amherst College 413 

Nazareth, the probable birthplace of Jesus 197 

New Testament, the, groundless opinion of high-church people 

that it was all prepared under divine 

guidance 265 

a careful study of, an imperative duty 235 

books of, when collated 216 

mistakes in, by ignorance or design, of 

translators 214 

collectively, a priceless gift from God to 

man 214 

when written in its earliest form 226 

opinions of Origen and Jerome on dis- 
puted texts in manuscripts 245 

discrepancies unimportant to enthusiastic 

believers 247 

alterations made before the books were 

protected by Church authority 248 

writings, by whom selected, history leaves in 

doubt 311 

Nirvana, account of 93 

Njiird, ruler of the winds 167 

Northmen, the most formidable among nations of their time. .171 



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Index. 437 

O. PAGE 

Odin, the oldest of the Scandinavian gods 166 

*' remains of the religion of still existing in Norway 170 

Old Testament, the, regarded as truthful, but not inspired, 

history 184 

** ** ** what language written in 174 

Olympic games, character of 136 

Omnipotent Power, an, a belief in, an incentive to the per- 
formance of every duty 220 

Omnipotence, man's lack of comprehension of 33 

'^ the power of, all necessary to lead and direct us. 421 

Oracle, Delphic, meaning of 143 

Oromazes, god of light 98 

Orpheus, mode of worship adopted by 144 

Orphic doctrine, period and character of 144 

Osiris, god, the, legend of , . . • , 118 

P. 

Palatine Hill, the home of the Latin gods 155 

Palestine, boundaries of 193 

Parliament and Congress, idea of originated from the Teutonic 

and Scandinavian assemblies .161 

Parmenides, his interpretation of God 138 

Paul, his life and character, as persecutor and apostle. .. .209 

** ** vision, the various accounts of 288 

deep inspiration 370 

peculiar views on the matrimonial relation 371 

defense, the ability and shrewdness of 364 

Persia and Zoroaster, ancient religion of 96 

Persian inscriptions, translations of some 97 

Peter, the improbability of the story of his being the recipient 

of spiritual power, as related by Matthew 302 

** his perfidy 357 

Pharisaism, its rise and character 344 

Phoenicia, Mr. Coleman's description of 208 

Phoenicians, the, language of 183 

Pilate, the reason of his presence at the Crucifixion 195 

Pindar, the Theban, doctrine taught by 135 

Plato, his divine philosophy 139 

Pliny, the elder, his view of religion 158 

Pontiff, the office of 150 



<( it 



438 Index. 

PAGE 

Prayer, a becoming act, but no barrier against misfortunes 419 

** the shortest and best ever made 420 

** oldest form of 25 

** Universal, Pope's 421 

Priests, origin of order of 26 

Priestcraft, its pernicious influences, as seen in Egyptian and 

Christian religions 131 

Prophecies, pretended, concerning Jesus which have not the 

slightest reference to him 293 

** of the second coming of Christ, Mr. Greg on..3lO 

Providence, the orderings of not influenced by prayer. .. .417 

*'Puranas,'' when promulgated, and facts concerning 75 

Purgatory, the Brahman's notions of 79 

Pythagoras, the beneficent results of his teachings 138 

R. 

Rogia, the, seat of worship in the oldest Roman time 154 

*' Religion," a definition of 222 

Religion, supernatural, and mystery 33 

Hindu, the, singular inconsistencies of 61 

much that is called new only a revival of old 80 

Christian, a portion of derived from Aryan religion . 28 

old stationary, Christian progressive 45 

Religions, ethnic and Christian, examination of ■, 41 

pagan, not entirely ascribable to priestcraft 36 

old, advantage of a candid comparison of 40 

ethnic, or heathen 32 

various, general survey of. 42 

Confucian and Roman Catholic, similarity between 44 

natural origin and growth of. ... , .111 

** denominational estimates of 87 

crude, of antiquity not devoid of interest. .... 35 
different, how their development may be traced. . .387 

" heathen, subsidence of condemnation of 40 

Religious customs, similarity between Egyptian and Jewish. . .128 

Resurrection, doctrine of older than the Hebrew race 118 

bodily, an idea of comparatively recent origin.. 372 
the great diversity of opinion among learned 

men concerning 375 

Revelation, the, remarks on 377 

Rig-YeJa, the, hymn from 65 









(C 






11 



Index. 439 

PAGE 

Rig-Yeda, the, hymn from 67 

Roman Catholic religion, the, composed in part of the old 

Teutonic religion 387 

Roman nation, the, origin of 150 

Pantheon, the 151 

deities, classification of 152 

ceremonial worship, the 153 

priestly etiquette, arbitrary requirements of. 154 

Romans, the, much of their history before Christ unreliable. . .150 

*' ** their religion 149 

** ** ** funeral solemnities 156 

Romans viii, comments on 367 

xii, '* '' 368 

Rome, the mythical history and the true history of 148 

" spirit of toleration displayed in 149 

S. 

Sacrifice the most ancient rite 25 

*' of human beings practiced in early Sweden 171 

Salamis, city of 213 

Salvation, John Calvin's strange theory of , . .219 

Samaria, country and religion of 196 

Sarah's connivance with Abraham to obtain posterity 180 

Saul (Paul), his bravery and zeal .363 

Scandinavia proper, location and boundaries of .161 

Scandinavian mythology, its resemblance to that of Zoroaster. 169 
Scandinavians, a branch of the great Indo-European variety. . .161 

*' the, religion and gods of 162 

** *^ cosmogony of 165 

** ** invasions and conquests made by 162 

** ** their religious beliefs and ceremonies. .170 

Science and the Bible 410 

. ** astronomical, its influence in dispelling old super- 
stitions 414 

** Scribe," Scriptural meaning of ...344 

Seneca, his definition of the two principles of existence 157 

Sermon on the Mount, the, and remarks on 328 

Shem, the numerous descendants of .....182 

Sin, trying to find some excuse for its commission a too preva- 
lent evil 186 



(( 
(( 



440 Index. 

PAGE 

Sin, the taking away of by propitiatory sacrifice not reconcil- 
able with human jurisprudence 221 

** its effects not removed by Jesus' death 374 

Socrates declared the basis of religion to be humanity .138 

Soma, the juice of, a chief Hindu god 27 

Soul, idea of its immortality first conceived by the Egyptians. .123 

Hindu theory of the transmigration of the 79 

Speaking with tongues,'' account of largely mythical. . . .274 

Sphinx, Egyptian, the 115 

Stoics, the, doctrine of 140 

Strauss, David Frederic, Prof. Stowe's criticism of 400 

Superstition among the common people, evil effects of illus- 
trated in Roman history 157 

Supreme Being, a, original idea of 64 

** Power, a, reasons for believing in the existence of. . .187 

T. 

Temple of the Capitol at Rome 151 

** at Jerusalem, destruction of 353 

Teutonic and Scandinavian race, Caesar's description of 160 

The life and character of Jesus, Prof. Schenkel on 405 

*'The Way of the Two Destinies" 109 

The Bridge Chinevat 1C9 

Theophany, belief of the Jews in 174 

Ti-Ping Revolution, the, incidents and lessons of 56 

Tlior, mightiest of the Scandinavian gods 166 

** his famous mallet, belt and gauntlets 167 

Trachonitis, extent and location of 194 

Tradition, Hebrew and Chaldaean, similarity between 23 

Trinity, a, origin of the doctrine of.. 78 

** and Atonement, doctrines of assume form in Egypt 

long before Christianity 129 

Trophonius' Cave, oracles of, manner of preparation for con- 
sulting 146 

Truth, to tell it squarely, under any circumstances, better 

than to lie, as Peter and Ananias did 361 

Tyr, the Scandinavian god of war , 169 

U. 

*' Unknown tongues," the, Paul's opinion concerning 280 

Y. 
Yedas, the, oldest work extant in Hindu literature 63 



Index, 441 

PAGE 

Vedas, the, regarded as inspired by Brabmans and Hindus. ... 58 
*' ** every Brabman student required to learn by beart G9 

Yedic mytbs and legends 29 

*' worsbipers, tbe sincerity of their faitb 65 

** age, names and cbaracters of gods of tbe 64 

** ** chronology of 69 

Yendidad, tbe, antiquity and genuineness of 98 

Yesta, temple of. , 155 

W. 

War, a lack of religion which incites men to 392 

*' between Ormazd and Abriman, gods of light and dark- 
ness ? 107 

Water, use of as a symbol for cleansing from sin not original 

with the founders of Christianity 142 

Wedding-ring, ceremony of derived from Egypt 128 

Well, Jacob's, where situated 201 

Wilderness, tbe, facts concerning. 199 

World, tbe, entire population of 87 

*' " end of, prediction concerning 345 

Worship, baneful effects of formalism in on young minds 76 

early Brabman, false ideas of Christians regarding. . 70 

Indian and Christian compared . . . , 77 

Hebrew, beginning of 177 

tbe great business in ancient Egypt 123 

X. 

Xenophanes and his followers 138 

Z. 

Zend-Avesta, the, its connection with tbe ancient religion of 

Persia 96 

** '' "- extracts from 103 

*' books, language of 99 

Zoroaster, his life and character, Mr. Clarke on ..100 

and his precepts, Plutarch's account of 97 

little known with certainty of 99 

religion of copied in part from tbe Aryans 100 

mentioned by Plato 400 years before Christ 97 



it. 



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SCRIPTURE SPECULATIONS: 

WITH AN INTKODUCTION ON THE 

CREATION, STARS, EARTH, PRIIITiyE MAN, JUDAISM, Etc. 

BY HALSEY R. STEVENS. 

^^WJiere the Spirit of the Lord is^ there is Liberty.''^ 

£xtra Clotli9 l^ino, 419 pp., $1*50« (Former price S2.; 



EXTRACT. 

** There rose not a prophet since like unto Moses, whom the 
Lord knew face to face." Now let us see the substantial truth of 
this claim of superior wisdom, superior illumination. If freedom 
is, as we all believe, essential to real manhood, if morality has 
hardly the ghost of a chance when a master's will is enforced by 
the lasli, then the liberator in peace of millions of his brethren 
deserves even a higher place than any other emancipator in hu- 
man history. For, had he deserted them because of their ingrati- 
tude, their fickleness, their cowardice, their superstition in the 
desert — and the thought came into his mind, for he is distinctly 
said to have rejected it with horror — had he gone back in honest 
indignation to the domestic p( ace of Midian, the Hebrew name 
would have been blotted out from history. And, more, the prog- 
ress of humanity would have been unspeakably impeded. Euro- 
pean civilization could not have come for ages. The sunny day 
of Christianity had not dawned. A republic of infinite promise 
would not have spread the banner of equal rights on these distant 
shores. Whether he was conscious of the fact or not, this in- 
tensely religious race had an element absolutely necessary to the 
progress of humanity — and for that they were the chosen of God, 
Other nations had other contributions to make: Greece with her 
art; Rome with her law; Egypt with natural science; the Orient 
with sacerdotal tradition: but from this bosom of a people cling- 
ing to the absolute unity of a supremely righteous Deity alone 
could come the Redeemer from all iniquity. 

And how admirably was this people educated through their 
desert pilgrimage! They had no rallying point, not even the 
graves of their fathers. Moses gave them a present Deity repre- 
sented in a portable shrine; so that ** their fathers' God before 
them moved, an awful guide in smoke and flame." It was the 
Lord of Hosts who headed their host, cheered their battle, insured 
their victory as they were faithful, even screened their retreat 
when they disobeyed. They had no nationality — slaves never 
have— no country, no temple, no inviolable home, no hallowed 
grave, no certain future among those Nile brick-yards; so he 
binds them first of all around a common altar, brooded over by a 
present Deity, represented by the folding wings of Cherubim and 
the Shekinah light. Next, the fireside tie is sealed anew as exclu- 
sively theirs. The smile of heaven rested peculiarly on them. 
They were summoned to a glorious future. A noble country 
awaited their approach, to be their children's and that of their 
children's children through countless generations. 



PEESS NOTICES. 

This work may be called a running commentary on the text of 
the Scriptures. The author has no hesitation in expressing liis 
opinions, but yet he does not transgress the limits of just criticism. 
He has no prejudice against the *' sacred books," but he is unwil- 
ling that they should be reverenced without discrimination. 
** Faith," says he, *'is excellent if founded on a noble life. We 
have no intention of setting at naught infinite w^isdom or of treat- 
ing eternal things with irreverence. The manly course for all 
writers is to say just what they think is just and true, and leave 
the event to God. Keeping back truth, is a sin." — Appletoii's Fopii- 
lar Science Monthly. 

Many will admire the modest though independent spirit in 
which he pursues his speculations, his freedom from dogmatism, 
his learning, the acuteness of his remarks, his clear style, com- 
bined with his firm maintenance of all that leads to good works, 
enforces duty or serves in any way to make mankind happier, 
wiser or better. He writes with great candor and freedom, but 
wntli every appearance of giving us his honest convictions, saying 
that his intention has been "not only to increase the interest of 
plain persons like ourselves in the ancient Scriptures of Judaea, 
but to remove some stumbling-stones out of their path." And we 
think this will be the effect of his work. — N. Y. Ei^ening Mail. 

It is impossible to follow him without becoming enamored of 
the simplicity of his style, the clearness and candor of his state- 
ments, and the temperate, judicial spirit in which he writes. — 
Brooklyn Argus. 

Mr. Stevens believes, like many others, that the time will 
eventually arrive when the greater portion of men will simply go 
forw^ard in every Christian work according to honest convictions, 
humbly and thankfully looking upward for the true spirit — seek- 
ing sincerely after the pure waters of life. — Chicago Times. 

Mr. Stevens has thought long and profoundly upon the subjects 
here treated. He has a vigorous, candid and disciplined mind. 
He writes like one who deeply loves the truth. The volume 
shows much erudition, and, being carefully indexed, it is quite 
valuable as a guide for Biblical students. — Chicago Etc. Journal, 

As an exegctical and philosophical work it merits a place 
among those which have achieved an abiding reputation. — Banner 
of Liglit (Boston). 

Mr. Stevens has gathered a mass of really valuable matter upon 
Creation, Astronomy, Primitive Man, Judaism, etc., independent 
of his Scripture discussion; he shows the Bible teacher where 
honest men are troubled in reading Moses and David; where, 
therefore, effort should be made to remove doubt and harmonize 
contradiction. He explains a great many obscure passages, does 
his best to strengthen the historic base of the sacred narrative, 
and exalts holy living as the supreme and holy revelation. — New- 
burgh Telegraph. 

*' Scripture Speculations" is a book deserving of more than 
one reading. It bears the impress of a writer evidently devout, 
in earnest, and strongly religious. — Grand Bapids Eagle, 



OR, 







T, 



By HENEY C. PEDDER. 



Everything that we now deem of antiquity was at one time new j 
and what ice now defend hy examples will at jx future period stand 
as precedents. — Tacitus. 

Extra cloth, bereled, black and gold back and side stamps, 
12mo, 175 pp., $1. (Former price $1.50.) 



CONTEI^TS. 



Chap. I — Introduction. II — The Scientific Spirit and Its Con- 
sequences. Ill — Skepticism. IV — Ancient Faitli and Modern 
Culture. Y — The Supremacy of Law: Its Pliysical and Psychical 
Conditions. YI — The Doctrine of Human Progress. YII — Con- 
cluding Remarks. 

PREFACE. 

The contents of this volume being intended as a contribution 
toward the better understanding of modern thought, and tlie con- 
sequences which must necessarily result from the peculiar intel- 
lectual type of the age, it needs no exhaustive preface to explain 
the cause of its production. As a reason for its conception and 
birth, it is enough to say that it proposes to indicate rather than 
exhaust the nature of those problems of life and mind by which 
we are, in the present day, so abundantly surrounded. An un- 
easy, restless searching after something broader, deeper, and more 
satisfactory, is the predominant characteristic of the present age; 
and in view of this, it seems to us that it is the duty of every re- 
flective mind to devote at least some attention to so important a 
subject. How far such a result may be accomplished in the fol- 
lowing remarks, time and experience alone can determine. The 
intention is, however, a good one; and as such we can confidently 
recommend the following pages to those who are disposed to be- 
stow aif unprejudiced and thoughtful consideration on questions 
which are obviously of such vast importance: believing also that, 
although the searching analysis and skeptical spirit of the present 
age may cause many years' sojourn in the wilderness of perplexity 
and doubt, we are nevertheless certain in the end to enter the 
Promised Land and find peace. 

In this view, therefore, should the accompanying thoughts an- 



swer the purpose of oases in what may seem to some a desert of 
negation and unbelief, they will amply have fulfilled their mission. 
Lastly, we can only say, should it be found, as we think it 
Tvill, that the ideas embodied in the different chapters deal with 
the silent depths of the soul, rather than the noisier but more su- 
perficial conditions of feeling, and also pertain to the serenity of 
intelligence, rather than the turmoil of irrational prejudice, it is 
hoped that they will, for this reason, be all the more welcome to 
those who, alter many intellectual wanderings, have at last 
learned to realize a grandeur and usefulness in those transitional 
stages of thought and feeling which seem inseparable from the 
conditions of human existence, and which at the same time indi- 
cate so powerfully that man's destiny is progressive. 

PEESS NOTICES. 

The author of this volume has evidently kept company with 
many of the finer spirits of the age, until his mind has become 
Imbued with the fragrance of their thought. He has excellent 
tendencies, elevated tastes, and sound aspirations. — JS^, Y. Tribune, 

In the restless spirit of inquiry abroad, and the feverish excite- 
ment of doubt, he sees the returning glory of that intellectual 
empire which declined with Grecian culture. He has brought the 
fruits of a large culture and extensive reading, and a mind unu- 
sually calm and thoughtful, to bear upon the questions w^hich are 
agitating the hour. — iV^. Y. World. 

An admirably "written, scholarly volume. — TV. Y. Graphic. 

An unprejudiced and thoughtful consideration of some of the 
most momentous questions that are now agitating the world, and 
will, no doubt, attract, as it deserves, the wildest attention. — 
iV. Y Commercial Advertiser, 

He presents a safe guide through the bewildering labyrinth of 
scientific, philosophical, and theological speculations, and evinces 
a thorough familiarity wuth most of the modern theories ad- 
vanced. — Jewish Times. 

The author is evidently a man of genuine literary taste. His 
book exhibits reflection and independence. — N. Y. Eve. Post. 

A truly able discussion of the subjects which mo^t vitally con- 
cern the higher nature and larger life of man. — Chicago Evening 
Journal. 

His views are characterized by a brood catholicity and a 
depth of thought which do credit at once to his heart and his 
mind. — Gremd Bapids Democrat. 

Some of its chapters contain a power of analysis rarely sur- 
passed. In many respects it is a valuable book for the student. — 
JSt. Louis Dispatch. 

A work of much more than ordinary interest. It contains 
profound and impressive thoughts and sentiments. — Buffalo Post. 

Its real merits can only be discovered by a perusal. — Toledo 
Journal, 



"ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE," 

BEING THE 

INAUGURAL ADDRESS 

Before the British Association for the Advancement of Science, 
at Belfast, by the President, John Tyndall, D.C.L., LL.D., 
F.R.S., with Portrait and Biographical Sketch. 

Also, a descriptive Essay, by Prof. H. Helmholtz, with Sir 
Henry Thompson and 

PROFESSOR TYPALL'S FAMOUS ARTICLES ON PRAYER, 

together on heavy tinted paper, in extra cloth, 12mo, 105 pp., 
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The Inaugural says: ^' The questions here raised are inevita- 
ble. They are approaching us with accelerated speed, and it is 
not a matter of indifference whether they are introduced with 



reverence or irreverence.'^ 



The N. Y. Tribune saj'-s: *'Prof. Tyndall Crosses the Ru- 
bicon. — It is the opening address of the President of the most 
important convention of scientific men in the world. Every line 
of it breathes thought, power, eloquence It is in many re- 
spects one of the most extraordinary utterances of our time." 

The IST. Y. Commercial Advertiser says: ** Prof. T3'ndall has 
inaugurated a new era in scientific development, and has drawn 
the sword in a battle whose clash of arms will presently resound 
through the civilized world." 

The N. Y. Graphic says: "It wull undoubtedly have great cur- 
rency, and make a wide and deep impression." 

G. W. Smalley, London correspondent of the IST. Y. Tribune^ 
says: "There can be but one opinion of the address as an exam- 
ple of intellectual power and of courageous sincerity rare in all 
times." 

THE ESSENCE OF RELIGION. 

By L. FEUERBACH, 

Author of "The Essence of Christianity," etc., etc. 

TRANSLATED FROM THE GERMAN. 

Cloth, 12mo, 75 pp., 50 Cts. (Former price 75 Cts.) 

The spirit of the time is show, not substance. Our politics, 
our ethics, our religion, our science, is a sham. The truth-teller 
is ill-mannered, therefore immoral. Truthfulness is the immoral- 
ity of our age !. .My aim has been to prove that the powers before 
which man crouches are creatures of his own limited, ignorant, 
uncultured, and timorous mind, to prove that in special the being 
whom man sets over against himself as a separate supernatural 
existence is liis own being. — ExtracL 



THE CULTIVATION OF ART, 

AND ITS KELATIONS TO RELIGIOUS PURITANISM 
AND MONEY-GETTING. 

By a. E. cooper. 

12 mo, 48 pp., Fancy Paper, 20 Cents.; Extra Flexible Cloth, 35 Cents. 
(Former prices 50 and 75 cts.) 

Mammon worship is the religion of our age and nation. What 
we call our religion is for the most part an affair of fashion and 
empty ceremony; our hearts are not in it, but our real religion is 
business. It is too much with us as Heine says it is with the 
merchant the world over: *' His counting-house is his church, his 
desk is his pew, his ledger is his bible, his stock in trade the 
holiest of the holy, the bell of the exchange his summons to 
praj^er, his gold his God, and credit his faith." 

The table, which in its primitive form was probably a block of 
wood, and only gradually came to be constructed as a piece of 
carpentry, at last attained to a marvelous execution in Florentine 

mosaic Man's primitive bed was of course the soil of the spot 

which gave him birth. Instinct would lead him to seek shelter, 
and to heap up mosses, leaves, and soft materials upon which to 
take his rest with ease. But art, keeping pace with ihe general 
advance of civilization, now furnishes him with a palatial resi- 
dence and a luxurious couch. Again, from the rude and simple 
pottery of the early man has come the wonderfully beautiful vases 
of ancient and modern times, and the china and glassware of our 
own daj^s. .. .The sculptor is but a sublimer workman in stone; 
painting had its origin in the use of color or outline drawing upon 
the walls of buildings. The grandest architecture is an evolution 
from the hut and cavern of primeval man, a glorified roof, as 
Ruskin expresses it. Sound, as expressed in music, is the ana- 
logue of a cry; and poetry is the beautifully impassioned utter- 
ance of the higher feelings. — Extracts. 



As a Philosopher and Reformer. 

By CHARLES SOTHERAN. 

Including an Original Sonnet by C. W. Frederickson, Portrait 

of Shelley, and View of his Tomb. 

Clotli, 8vo, 60 pp«9 $1. (Former price $1«25») 

**This work considers Shelley's love of freedom; anticipation of 
the theory of evolution; scientific scholarship; real belief in a 
Supreme Intelligence; Pantheism; faith in the true, though not 
the theological, Jesus; disbelief in miracles and the biblical ac- 
count of Creation; appreciation of the allegorical truth hidden in 
all religions; hesitancy about a future state; love of virtue; sym- 
pathy with Ireland's oppression; advocacy of Queen Caroline; de- 
sire to see Protestant and Catholic parties united in humane 
efforts; defense of labor's rights; hatred of capital and commerce; 
devotion to free speech and rights of women; interest in dumb 
animals, and love for the United States." 



THE HISTORICAL JESUS OF NAZARETH. 

By M. ScHLEsiNap:R, Ph.D., 
Rabbi of the Congregation Anshe Emeth, Albany, IST. Y. 

Extra Cloth, 12mo, 98 pp., 75 Cts. (Former price $1.) 

EXTRACT. 

The perfect harmony and fraternal feeling generally supposed 
to have existed between the founders and early propagators of 
Christianity are chimeras, which must be assigned to the place 
where they properly belong — that of mytholog}^ The truth, 
which may be learned ever from those records which are in 
everybody's hands — the New Testament writings — is that there 
were lively contentions, bitter enmities, and intense hatred be- 
tween the three great parties, the Jew-Christians, the Paulines, 
and the Gnostics, of whom each claimed to be in possession of the 
only pure and undefiled truth of Christianity. . . .Heathenism more 
and more absorbs the new religion; and those truths brought over 
from Judaism are soon lost sight of, for they are swept away, or 
buried under the deluge of Paganism. The new religion has no 
longer anything in common with Judaism, except whenever she 
takes her weapons, as her founder, Paul, always did, from the 
treasures of the sacred literature of the Jews, to turn them against 
those who furnished them. 

PRESS NOTICES. 

Dr. Schlesinger gives us the Jewish view of Jesus. Of course 
it is not the Christian one, but he concedes a great deal : that 
Jesus worked miracles, and by them, and the expectation and 
want of the people, was induced to assume the office of the Mes- 
siah — not at all of God. He thinks that Jesus never gave up this 
idea of his mission until he cried upon the cross, '* Why hast thou 
forsaken me, my God ? " — Hie Inquirer (N. Y.). 

The first part of the work is a brief history of the origin and 
development of the Messianic idea of Israel before Jesus. This is 
the most valuable part of the work. The rabbi w^rites without 
any prejudice against Jesus. Indeed, he claims him as *'a true 
son of his people," an ** enthusiast who dies heroically for an 
idea." The book ought to be received as a token that the bar- 
riers of prejudice between Jew and Christian are falling, and that 
there are those in the Hebrew church who at least are studying 
the sources of Christian doctrine with a sincere desire to know the 
truth concerning them. — Chridiaii Register. 

Dr. Schlesinger gives an interesting and ingenious account of 
the development of the Messianic expectation among the Jews. 
At first and for ages it was not a personal Messiaii that they 
looked for, he thinks. They thought that the people of Israel, 
by propagating their laws and religion among the nations, would 
become the saviour of the world. It w^as the offspring of the op- 
timistic bend of the Hebrew mind. He thinks it was not until 
the reign of Herod that the national expectation took a personal 
form, and that Jesus of Kazareth was tne first to claim the title 



and office — though it is thought by some scholars that he was not 
the first. — J!i. Y. Graphic, 

The preface begins with a quotation from Draper : ** In a mat- 
ter so solemn as that of religion, all men whose temporal interests 
are not involved in existing institutions earnestly desire to find 
the truth." The amiable and learned Rabbi of the Synagogue of 
the "Men of Truth" does not only indulge in hypothesis — he 
chiefly deals with facts, which, through his hypothesis, are 
clearly grouped in a very instructive and readable book. — 21ie 
New Age (Boston). 

The book is interesting not only for its historical research, but 
as showing just how the Christian Saviour is looked upon by the 
descendants of those who put him to death. — San Francisco Balleiin, 

The author occasionally deviates in his quotations from the 
Bible from King James* version, and resorts to the original Ile- 
"brew and Greek. A flood of light will fall upon many minds by 
its perusal. — Boston Commonwealth 

By JOHN ALBERGER. 

12mo, 61 pp. ; PAPER, 35 Cents ; EXTRA CLOTH, 50 Cents. 

(Former price, paper, 35 cts.; cloth, 75 cts.) 

Contents. — Chapter I: Testimonies, Justin Martyr, Tertul- 
lian, Melito, Origen, A. Saccus, St. Clement, Eusebius, Constan- 
tine, Arnobius, Lactantius, St. Augustine, Faustus, Abulmerar, 
Orpheus, Mahistan, Egyptian Monuments. II: Christianity and 
the Church, The Slow Progress of the Church, The Means by 
which it Achieved its Victories, European Civilization due to the 
Introduction of Latin Pagan Works. Ill: Anima Mundi, The 
Philosophy of Pythagoras, of Socrates, of Aristotle, of Zeno, of 
Epicurus, of Plato. lY : Hindoo Mythology, Persian Mythologj'', 
Scandinavian Mj^tholog}''. V: Divine Developments and Muta- 
tions, as Exhibited in the Christian and Pagan Mythology. YI: 
Divine Characteristics, Saviors, Logoses, Miraculous Conception, 
Phenomena, Incarnations of Divinity, Alarming Prophecies at 
the Birth of Infant Gods, Miraculous Escapes, Infant Miracles, 
Miraculous Voices, D.ivine Physicians, Divine Prophetic Power, 
Transfigurations, Divine Sufferings, Descent into Hell, Resurrec- 
tion and Ascension. YII: Human Sacrifices, Trinity, Demons, 
Hell, Conclusion. 

Extracts. — The origin of Christianity is involved in so much ob- 
scurity that the most distinguished Fathers of the primitive 
Church explicitly declared that it had existed from time imme- 
morial. . . ."In our time is the Christian religion, which to know 
and follow is the most sure and certain health, called according 
to that name, but not according to the thing of which it is the 
name; for the thing itself, the same which is now called the 
Christian religion, really was known to the ancients, nor was 
wanting at any time even from the beginning of the human race, 
until the time when Christ came in the flesh, from whence the 
true religion, not as having been wanting in former times, but 
having in later times received a new name." — St Augustine. 



The Childliood of tlie World. 

A SIMPLE ACCOUNT OP MAN IN EARLY TIMES. 
By Edward Clodd, F.R.A.S. 

Clotli, 12ino, 91 pp., 50 Cts. (Former price 75 Cts«) 



CONTENTS. 



Part I. — Introductory; Man's First Wants; Man's First Tools; 
Fire; Cooking and Pottery; Dwellings; Use of Metals; Man's 
Great Age on the Earth; Mankind as Shepherds, Farmers, and 
Traders; Language; AYriting; Counting; Man's Wanderings from 
liis First Home; Man's Progress in All Things; Decay of Peoples. 

Part II. — Introductory; Man's First Questions; Myths; Myths 
about Sun and Moon; JMytlis about Eclipses; Myths about Stars; 
Myths about the Eartli and Man; Man's Ideas about the Soul; 
Belief in Magic and Witchcraft; Man's Awe of the Unknown; 
Fetish-Worship; Idolatry ; Nature-Worship— Water-Worship, Tree- 
Worship, Animal-Worsliip; Polytheism, or Belief in Many Gods; 
Dualism, or Belief in TwoGods; Prayer; Sacrifice; Monotheism, 
or Belief in One God; Three Stories about Abraham; Man's Be- 
lief in a Future Life; Sacred Books; Conclusion. 

PKEFACE. 

For the information of parents and others into whose hands 
this book may fall, it may be stated that it is an attempt, in the 
absence of any kindred elementary work, to narrate, in as simple 
language as the subject will permit, the story of man's progress 
from the unknown time of his early appearance upon the earth to 
the period from w^iich writers of history ordinarily begin. 

That an acquaintance with the primitive condition of man 
should precede the study of any single department of his later his- 
tory is obvious, but it must be remembered that such knowledge 
has become attainable only within the last few years, and at pres- 
ent enters but little, if at all, into the course of study at schools. 

Thanks to the patient and careful researches of men of science, 
the way is rapidly becoming clearer for tracing the steps by 
which, at ever-varying rates of progress, different races have ad- 
vanced from savagery to civilization, and for thus giving a com- 
pleteness to the history of mankind which the assumptions of an 
arbitrary chronology would render impossible. 

As the table of contents indicates, the first part of this book 
describes the progress of man in material things, while the second 
part seeks to explain his mode of advance from lower to higher 
stages of religious belief. 

Although this w^ork is written for the young, I venture to hope 
that it will afford to older persons who will accept the simplicity 
of its style, interesting information concerning primitive man. 

In thinking it undesirable to encumber the pages of a work of 
this class with foot-notes and references, I have been at some 



pains to verify the statements made, the larger body of which may 
be found in the works of Tylor, Lubbock, Nilsson, Waitz, and 
other etlinologists, to wliom my obligations are cordially ex- 
pressed. E. C. 
133 Brecknock Road, London. 

OPINIONS. 

Extract from a letter from Professor Max Miiller to the au- 
thor: "I read your book with great pleasure. I have no doubt 
it will do good, and hope you will continue your w^ork. Nothing 
spoils our temper so much as having to unlearn in youth, man- 
hood, and even old age, so many things which w'e were taught as 
children. A book like yours will prepare a far better soil in the 
child's miLd, and I was delighted to have it to read to my child- 
ren." 

E. B. Tylor, F.R.S., in *' Nature," says: *'This genial little 
volume is a child's book as to shortness, cheapness, and simplicity 
of style, though the author reasonably hopes that older people 
will use it as a source of information not popularly accessible else-. 
where as to the life of Primitive Man and its relation to our ow^n. 
. . . .This book, if the time has come for the public to take to it, 
will have a certain effect in the world. It is not a mere compila- 
tion from the authors mentioned in the preface, but takes its own 
grounds and stands by and for itself. Mr. Clodd has thought out 
his [)hiIosophy of life, and used his best skill to bring it into the 
range of a child's view." 

The Boston Daily Globe says: "We have never seen the subject 
of Primitive Z>Ian better set forth: the author first delineates the 
progress of our race in natural things, and then goes on by natural 
steps to explain the gradual modes of advance from lower to 
higher civilization." 

THE ANOniODS HYPOTHESIS OF CREATION. 

By JAMES J. FURNISS. 
EXTRA FLEXIBLE CLOTH, 12M0, 55 PP., 35 CTS. (Former price 50c.) 

Contents. — Introduction. Genesis — Chapter I : Remarks on. 
Verse 1; Darkness on the Face of the Waters; Creation of Light; 
The Waters Divided; Dry Land Appears; First Appearance of 
Vegetation; The Orbs of Space; Beginning of Animal Life; Cre- 
ation of Man. Genesis — Chapter 11 : Conclusion of First Account 
of Creation; Second Account of Creation Begins; First and Sec- 
ond Accounts Compared; Interpretation of the Mosaic Narrative, 
Literal or Allegorical? Theories in Support of Inspiration Doc- 
trine, and Concluding Remarks. 

Introduction. — In ofiering the follow^ing pages, the author 
lays no claim to originality so far as the subject-matter is con- 
cerned, for, perhaps, everything that he has there written has 
been more forcibly and more fully dealt with by others already; 
but his object has been to present the subject as concisely as 
practicable, for the benefit of those who have not the time or the 
inclination to peruse the more voluminous works. The author's 
purpose has been accomplished if he has succeeded in affording 
any assistance, however small, to the inquiring beginner. 



THE 

REIGN OF THE STOICS. 

By Fkederic May Holland. 

Read ilie philosophers y and learn how to make life happy , 
set king useful precepts and brave and noble words which may 
become deed^. — Seneca. 

"With Citations of Authorities Quoted from on Eacli 

Page. 

Extra Cloth, 12mo, 248 pp., $1.25, 



CONTENTS. 



CHAP. PAGE. 

I. HISTORY 11 

II. RELIGION 57 

III. MAXIMS OF SELF-CONTROL 83 

IV. MAXIMS OF SELF-CULTURE 123 

Y. MAXIMS OF BEXEYOLEXCE 151 

YL MAXIMS OF JUSTICE 183 

YIL PHILOSOPHY 195 













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